How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (2024)

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This classic chocolate souffle is incredibly rich in chocolate flavor yet light and fluffy. Learn the easy process of how to make chocolate souffle from scratch!

Chocolate Souffle Overview

  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Techniques Used: Simple Meringue, Folding Egg Whites

A chocolate souffle is a rich chocolate dessert made from a thick chocolate sauce combined with whipped egg whites. The egg whites made the souffle rise up a great deal in the oven.

Chocolate souffles are served warm and are often paired with a simple whipped cream or creme anglaise(which is basically melted ice cream). Chocolate souffles must be served as soon as they come out of the oven because they will start deflating immediately.

What is a Souffle?

All souffles are made up of two components: a very flavorful base sauce and an egg white foam. For a chocolate souffle the base is a rich chocolate sauce and the egg foam is a simple meringue.

These two components are folded together to create the batter for the souffle. The air that is whipped into the egg whites provides all of the leavening for the souffle. Air expands rapidly when heated and will cause the souffle to rise a great deal in the oven.

Can a Souffle be Prepared in Advance?

How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (2)

Souffles are one of the things in baking that must be prepared pretty close to when they will be baked and they must be served immediately. There is a saying that “you must wait for a souffle, but a souffle cannot wait for you.”

The souffle batter can be prepared up to 90 minutes in advance of when it will be baked without losing any significant volume. I like to add cream of tartar into my egg white foam to help stabilize the meringue so it can buy me some time.

Souffles do not hold up to freezing or being prepared far in advance of when they will be served. However, you can prepare the batter and fill your souffle dishes and hold them in the refrigerator for some time. You can then pop them in the oven while the main course is finishing up.

What is the Difference Between a Chocolate Souffle and a Molten Lava Cake?

How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (3)
Souffle
How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (4)
Lava Cake

A chocolate souffle and a molten chocolate lava cake do have a somewhat similar final product. However a souffle is much lighter and airier than a lava cake.

A souffle is leavened with air and produces a very fluffy final product with a slightly molten center. A lava cake is a little more dense and has a much more molten center to it.

What Kind of Dish do you Bake a Chocolate Souffle In?

Truthfully, a souffle can be baked in any dish that has high sides. There are dishes that are made specifically for souffles, however a ramekin, a bowl, or even a coffee cup could all be used to bake a souffle in.

Souffles can be baked as one large dish to then be divided up or in individual dishes. I prefer to use individual dishes for souffles as it is easier and prettier to serve this way.

How to Make a Chocolate Souffle

Step 1: Prep Souffle Dishes

How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (5)

To prepare your souffle dishes, coat them well with softened butter. Make sure every surface of the dish is completely covered so that the souffle doesn’t stick and it can rise nice and high.

Additionally, I like to sprinkle sugar in my dishes to add a nice contrast of texture to the outside of the souffle. You could also dust them with cocoa powder.

Step 2: Prepare Chocolate Base

How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (6)
How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (7)

The base for the chocolate souffle is a rich, thick, chocolate sauce. You want to use a chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa because the egg whites will dilute the flavor. Somewhere between 65-75%. I use a 70% chocolate for my souffles.

Melt the chocolate slowly with the butter, until it is smooth and glossy. You can do this over a double boiler, or by melting in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring in between. Set aside the cool slightly. 2

Step 3: Whip Egg Whites

How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (8)
How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (9)

When you whip egg whites, you want to start with them at room temperature for the highest volume. Whip the egg whites by themselves first until you are getting close to medium peaks.

Then start slowly streaming in the sugar. The sugar will stabilize the egg whites but it can inhibit them whipping up to a high volume if you add it in the beginning.

How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (10)

You can also add a pinch of cream of tartar at the end to further stabilize the egg whites. If you will be baking your souffles immediately, then you can omit this.

Step 4: Combine Base & Egg Whites

How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (11)

Stir the egg yolks into the cooled melted chocolate. Then proceed with folding the egg whites into the melted chocolate.

How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (12)
How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (13)

Add about 1/2 of the egg whites into the bowl with the chocolate and gently fold them in. Refer to the video for a demonstration on how to properly fold. Add the rest of the egg whites in and fold those in as well.

Step 5: Bake

How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (14)

Fill the ramekins evenly with the chocolate souffle mixture. This will be enough to fill 4- 5 oz ramekins almost completely. See the recipe notes for halving the recipe for only 2 souffles.

How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (15)

Bake the souffles at 400 F. This high heat will cause the air in the egg whites to expand rapidly to make them rise. It is important that you do not open the oven door until almost the end of baking to check to see if they are done.

Step 6: Serve

These souffles are delicious as is, but can be topped simply with powdered sugar, whipped cream, or ice cream. The do need to be served almost immediately when they come out of the oven as they will start to fall.

Chocolate Souffle FAQ

  • Can you freeze a souffle? Souffles do not hold up to being frozen. The air will deflate out of the egg whites and they will not rise in the oven. They really need to be prepared within about 90 minutes of when they will be baked.
  • Can you prep chocolate souffles in advance? The souffle batter can be prepped up to 90 minutes before being baked and stored in the refrigerator.
  • Do you use cocoa powder in a chocolate souffle? Cocoa powder is not typically used in a chocolate souffle. Melted dark chocolate is typically used for the base of a chocolate souffle.
  • What kind of chocolate should I use in my souffle? You want the chocolate base of your souffle to be very strong in flavor because the egg whites will dilutethe flavor. Use a chocolate with a percentage around 65-75 %

Yield: 4- 5 oz Souffles

Chocolate Souffle

Prep Time15 minutes

Cook Time15 minutes

Total Time30 minutes

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Base

  • 4 oz (113 gr) good quality dark chocolate (around 65-75%), chopped
  • 1 TBSP (14 gr) unsalted butter
  • large pinch of salt
  • 2 large egg yolks, room temperature

For the Egg White Foam

  • 3 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup (50 gr) granulated sugar
  • pinch of cream of tartar (optional, but recommended if not baking immediately)

Instructions

Note: The batter for these souffles can be prepped a maximum of 90 minutes before baking, but no longer. The must be baked within that time frame or they will not rise well. If you do not bake them immediately, make sure you add the cream of tartar into your egg whites to help stabilize them.

  1. Prep: Preheat oven to 400 F (205 C) and position a rack in the bottom 1/3rd of your oven. I use the second rack from the bottom. Prepare 4- 5 oz ramekins by buttering them liberally with softened butter. Make sure every surface is covered. Dust the buttered ramekins with granulated sugar or cocoa powder. Set aside on a baking sheet. Measure out all of your ingredients and group them by chocolate base and by egg foam.
  2. Prepare Chocolate Base: Place the chopped chocolate, unsalted butter, and pinch of salt in a medium mixing bowl. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring thoroughly in between. Set aside to cool slightly before adding the egg yolks.
  3. Prepare Egg White Foam: In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with the whisk attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, begin beating the egg whites at high speed. Beat until the whites are almost holding medium peaks. Turn the mixer speed down to medium and slowly stream in the sugar. Once the sugar is incorporated turn the speed back up to high. Once the whites are almost at stiff peaks, add the cream of tartar if using. Stop beating when the whites still look glossy and are holding stiff peaks. If your whites look dry and crumbly, you have gone too far and you need to start over with fresh egg whites.
  4. Combine Chocolate Base & Egg Whites: Stir the egg yolks into the slightly cooled chocolate base. Start by adding about 1/2 cup (doesn't need to be exact) of the egg whites into the chocolate base and stir it in completely to lighten the mixture. This will make it easier to fold in the rest of the egg whites. Add about half of the remaining egg whites and gently fold them into the chocolate base, being careful not the deflate the air out of them. Add the rest of the egg whites in and fold until incorporated.
  5. Bake: Divide the mixture evenly between your ramekins. This will fill 4- 5 oz ramekins almost completely to the top. Use an off set spatula or a butter knife the smooth the batter out on top. You can place the prepped souffles in the refrigerator covered loosely with plastic wrap for about 90 minutes before baking if needed. Bake at 400 F (205 C) for 12-15 minutes. Do not open the oven for the first 12 minutes or your souffles might fall! Check the souffles at 12 minutes and give the sheet pan a little jiggle. They should jiggle just slightly in the center.
  6. Serve immediately! They will start deflating as soon as they come out of the oven.

Notes

  • If you would like to halve the recipe and make only two souffles, you will want to use about 1 1/2 egg whites. Measure out your first egg white and discard about half of it. It is okay if it isn't exact. Then add a second whole egg white to your measured out half egg white.

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How to make Chocolate Souffle, Recipe - Baker Bettie (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good soufflé? ›

Ensure all your ingredients, especially the eggs, are at room temperature. Do not use cold eggs. Prepare and grease the soufflé dishes before you start making the soufflé mixture. Preheat the oven so once the soufflé is made and in the dish, it can go directly into the oven.

How difficult is it to make a soufflé? ›

Make a Soufflé? It Isn't Hard – Really!
  1. Crack the eggs and separate the yolks from the whites while they are cold. Then let the yolks and whites stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before starting. ...
  2. Preheat the oven. ...
  3. Beat the whites in a scrupulously clean glass or metal bowl.
Jun 1, 2021

Why is soufflé difficult? ›

If the egg whites are not mixed enough, they will be too heavy to rise, but if they are over-whipped they will collapse in the oven. Finally, and most problematically, any cross-contamination between yolks and whites will cause the whole concoction to collapse, which is the bane of many dessert chefs' days.

How long can a soufflé sit before baking? ›

A souffle must be served the minute it comes out of the oven. That isn't impossible, but it does require some advanced planning. The sauce, called the "base," can be made ahead of time. Most souffles can be assembled and set aside for up to 30 minutes before baking.

Should eggs be cold for soufflé? ›

Always use eggs at room temperature or even warm, for the highest rise. Cold egg whites won't beat up as loftily.

What is the most expensive soufflé? ›

Petrossian's "Secret Soufflé" might also be New York's most expensive dish, at $2,500. This article is for subscribers only. Key Details: A secret dish combining three of the most decadent things you'll ever find on a menu: caviar, cognac, and soufflés.

What is the difference between chocolate mousse and chocolate soufflé? ›

What is the difference between chocolate mousse and soufflé? While both are light and airy chocolate desserts that contain eggs, mousse is custard-based, usually contains milk or cream, and is served cold. Soufflé has fewer ingredients, and is baked and served hot.

Why did my soufflé fall apart? ›

The myth about them falling when there is a loud noise or a slight bump is entirely false. Soufflés will inevitably collapse, not because of being bumped, but because the air that is whipped into the egg whites, which has been heated by the oven, cools, so the soufflé falls. That's why they are best served immediately.

Is chocolate souffle hard? ›

Instead, a deep chocolate ganache—made with three types of chocolate—produces a stable base with a pronounced and well-rounded chocolate flavor. Making a successful soufflé is not nearly as difficult as it sounds, but it does require doing a few things properly.

Can you make a soufflé without ramekins? ›

A ramekin with straight sides will help the soufflé rise but you can bake them in almost anything that can go in the oven. I sometimes like to bake them in a frying pan or baking dish and serve sharing style directly on the table.

Can you make a soufflé without a soufflé dish? ›

Substitute Soufflé Pans: If you don't have a real soufflé pan, you can use any straight-sided pan that's deeper than it is wide. They'll bake more evenly and with better lift if you use a round pan instead of a square or rectangular one. You could use any baking dish or even a deep, oven-safe saucepan!

Do you need cream of tartar for soufflé? ›

Mustard and cayenne pepper or hot sauce add subtle flavor to the soufflé but are not absolutely necessary. Cream of tartar is not required, but it can help prevent accidentally overbeating the egg whites; if you have it, you might as well add it.

What ingredient makes a soufflé rise? ›

When the egg mixture is baked in a 350-degree oven, those air bubbles trapped in the egg whites expand, making the souffle rise. The heat also causes the protein to stiffen a bit, and along with the fat from the yolk, it forms a kind of scaffold that keeps the souffle from collapsing.

What are the three components of a soufflé? ›

Souffle Logic: A soufflé is made up of three elements: A base sauce enriched with egg yolks (pastry cream for sweet, béchamel for savory), a filling (anything from cheese to chocolate), and whipped egg whites.

How do you get the eggy taste out of a soufflé? ›

If your Soufflé Cake tastes eggy, it's either undercooked or overcooked. Make sure that you don't increase the temperature, this will also make the eggs rubbery and taste eggy. Stick to a low temperature.

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