Chocolate Souffle may be one of the most romantic desserts I can think of. Perfect for Valentine’s Day. It’s warm, rich chocolate, with a luscious texture, and whomever you bake it for will be spellbound by its almost magical loft. I used to think this was a dessert you could, should, and would only bake on a special occasion. The stress of getting it right was as great as the feeling of absolute elation at seeing the soufflé expanding in the oven.
When I opened Matt Adlard’s book, Bake It Better, and saw his perfect chocolate souffle with the claim ”Do I dare say this soufflé has never failed me?” I knew it was the recipe I would try first from his debut book. HE DOES NOT LIE! I have made this recipe three times and each one has been perfection.
I’ve made them in several sizes and even for a last-minute dessert after dinner on a Tuesday just because I was in the mood. This recipe has changed my attitude about soufflé and it will be a staple in your recipe repertoire as well. You really must try this one!
His book shares all of the tips, techniques, tricks, and ways to master the basics and level up to showstopping desserts. The soufflé is a great place to start and we are lucky that Matt has generously shared the recipe with us all below. I am also thrilled to give you a chance to win a copy of his book!
Bake it Better Giveaway!
[Giveaway closed] Congrats to Dorothy from California, our winner!
I’m so excited to give away a copy of Matt’s beautiful cookbook, Bake it Better?! Want a chance to win? Just comment below and tell us about your favorite chocolate recipe! Must be 18 years of age to enter with a US or Canadian address. Contest ends Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024 at 8 p.m CT. Once selected, we’ll contact the winner via email. You must respond to claim your prize within 48 hours or we’ll select a new winner.
And if you need more chocolate recipes, check out my chocolate guide + recipe collection where I discuss types of chocolate, my favorite chocolate products and answer frequently asked questions.
Equipment
- 4 3.5 x 2.2-inch (9×5.5cm) ramekins
- Piping bag with a large round tip nozzle
Ingredients
- unsalted butter softened, for coating
- granulated/caster sugar for coating
for the beurre manié
- 50 g unsalted butter softened
- 55 g all-purpose/plain flour
- 1 g sea salt
for the soufflé base
- 270 g whole milk
- 50 g granulated/caster sugar
- 195 g chopped dark chocolate 70% cocoa solids
- 115 g egg yolks
for the meringue
- 180 g egg whites
- 3 g freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 70 g granulated/caster sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 320°F/160°C.
- Use a pastry brush to brush the insides of four 3.5 x 2.2-inch (9×5.5cm) ramekins with the softened unsalted butter, ensuring to stroke upward with the brush.
- Sprinkle a small amount of sugar in the ramekins and swirl the sugar around to coat the ramekins. Tap the ramekins to remove any excess sugar. Set aside.
- To make the beurre manié, in a medium bowl, combine the butter, flour, and salt. Use a spatula to beat until a thick, dry paste forms. Set aside.
- To make the soufflé base, in a medium saucepan on the stovetop over medium heat, combine the milk and sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the beurre manié. Keep whisking until the beurre manié has broken down and been absorbed into the milk. About 30 seconds.
- Return the saucepan to the heat and whisk for 1-2 minutes until the mixture has thickened. When you lift the mixture with the whisk, it should be slightly elastic in consistency and not too runny.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and whisk in the chopped dark chocolate until completely melted.
- Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and add the egg yolks. Beat with a spatula until the eggs have been completely combined. Set aside.
- To make the French meringue, in a medium bowl, combine the egg whites and lemon juice. Whisk with an electric hand whisk on a medium-low speed until frothy, then slowly add the sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
- Increase the speed of the hand whisk to medium-high and whisk until the meringue has stiff peaks.
- Fold the meringue into the soufflé base in three stages, ensuring you scoop the bottom of the bowl and there are no streaks of meringue left.
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip nozzle.
- Use the piping bag to fill the ramekins with the mixture. Use an offset spatula to completely smooth the tops so the mixture is flush with the rims of the ramekins. Use your thumb to carefully create a very small lip around the inside edge of each ramekin. Clean the outsides of the ramekins of any of the mixture.
- Place the ramekins in the oven and bake for about 16 to 20 minutes. They should be well risen above the rim.
- Remove the ramekins from the oven and serve immediately.
Cannot wait to make this! It might replace my go-to super moist Chocolate cake recipe
The best chocolate is as pure as you can get it. A lovely ganache, in the form of a chocolate bonbon is my favorite!
Chocolate Guinness cakes and your Peanutbutter devils food loaf
My favorite chocolate dessert is a dark chocolate brownie cookie with sea salt. The salt makes the difference on the flavor, along with the Valhrona cocoa.
Chocolate is a food group to me! Flourless chocolate cake, brownie with a hint of coffee, even a classic chewy chocolate chip cookie are recipes I will often make (and get requests to make!).
Oh, I’m almost embarrassed to say this, but I grew up with Texas Sheet Cake, and I’m not sure it’s called that anywhere else. Basically, a dense chocolate cake baked in a 9 x 13 pan, topped with what’s essentially fudge.
My favorite chocolate dessert is Mocha Fudge Cake- a delicious flourless delight for all!
My favorite chocolate dessert is chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. It covers all the bases of a great dessert — cakey, gooey, creamy.
My favorite chocolate recipe has to be chocolate cake….Thanks for all the great tips….
Favorite chocolate dessert? Anything from Maida Heatter’s Book of Grear Chocolate Desserts – her County Fair Chocolate Layer Cake is a birthday staple in our house.
But now I will try Cheryl Day’s Chocolate Heaven and this delicious looking soufflé!
I love all things chocolate! My favorite chocolate desert is something I call “ death by chocolate.” It’s a triffle made of chocolate brownies layered with chocolate mousse and whipped cream!
YES!!! I make this occasionally and call it chocolate sin. So good!
So hard to choose just one! For an ultimate chocolate experience it would have to be a Chocolate Truffle Cake. Our go-to though for birthday cakes is Zoe’s devil food cake or hot chocolate cake layered with frosting. Yum!
I use an olive oil Brownie recipe that is so scrumptious! It’s soft on the inside and crackle on the top and I add walnuts and dried cherries to the batter.
I love a rich chocolate cake!
My grandmother’s Mississippi Mud Cake. Have not made it in years but will now make for Valentines Day! Thanks for making me think of her❤️ Love your site and books and hope to win Matt’s book! He is an inspiration on Instagram!
My favorite is Kitchen Sink Cookies, which have an oatmeal cookie base with tons of chocolate chips in addition to walnuts, raisins, and coconut. They’re a family favorite!
Love chocolate cookies And I will try the chocolate soufflé!
I would love to win Matt’s book. Thank you Zoë and Matt for sharing the recipe this chocolate soufflé. I’ll be making it for my husband on Valentine’s Day.❤️ My favorite chocolate recipe has got to be Lora Brody’s Chocolate Bête-Noire cake, although Cheryl Day’s “Chocolate Heaven Cake” is a close second.
I love the simplicity of a chocolate souffle! My favorite chocolate is the one-bowl brownie on the Bakers box…very old school.
Thanks, Zoe for all the wonderful baking inspiration!
This is a great idea for Valentine’s Day! You have inspired me.
Partial to brownies, the original ina garten recipe, made with sharffenberger chocolate. Yum.
My favorite chocolate recipe is the chocolate brownie recipe I made that my husband said was the best thing I ever made.
My favorite chocolate recipe is Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies, they are dense, slightly chewy and my friends beg me to make them. There’s a recipe for chocolate cupcakes called “killer cupcakes” that I found in an old church cookbook that takes second place for me. Chocolate is one of life’s best pleasures!
French Silk Pie! so easy but so delicious. and chocolate chip cookies with sea salt….
My favorite varies depending on my mood….chocolate truffle cookies, apricot brownies, chocolate raspberry cupcakes, chocolate midnight cake, chocolate sponge, I could go on forever!
Chocolate biscotti!
Chocolate Silk Pi