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.
Chocolate Caramel Tart! It’s easy, delicious, and always a hit.
My favorite has always been a sheet cake with chocolate/pecan frosting which my Mom had titled Sheet Cake Brownies although they are not brownies at all. I’ve recently acquired a chocolate chip bundt cake recipe from a friend that is fantastic also.
My fave chocolate recipe is a simple chocolate cake, with an American buttercream frosting, eaten late at night in the kitchen.
I love chocolate stout cake with a ganache drizzle over the top.
My favorite chocolate dessert is chocolate brownies. My goal this year is to step up my baking skills this year. I’m going to try this recipe and make it for Valentine’s Day.
I see chocolate souffle in my future!
My favorite chocolate recipe is Spelt Brownies from “A New Way to Bake”. I also have a recipe for a microwave steamed chocolate pudding that’s a decades old fav.
Flourless chocolate cake!
This will be my favorite chocolate recipe, especially after seeing it in action on your Instagram page!
My favorite chocolate recipe is a chocolate Oreo cake.
Straight up chocolate cake. Hands down.
My favourite chocolate recipe is a chocolate ganache tart topped with fresh raspberries.
My favourite chocolate recipe is:
Go to a local store.
Buy a chocolate dessert.
Bring it home.
Eat it.
There’s a NYT chocolate pots de crème recipe that is my go to. And of course Zöe Bakes chocolate devil’s food cake, because it is perfect.
I’ve never made souffle`, but I’ve wanted to. I love making flourless chocolate cake.
My favorite chocolate recipe is an old family recipe we got from my mom’s friend (who got it from someone else). We call it Judy’s chocolate cake. Not only does it have cocoa and chocolate chips, it has grated apple and apricot nectar in it. I made it for every birthday party for all four of my kids. My kids and their friends call it “the taste of our childhood!”
I love a slice of milk chocolate,peanut butter pie. It’s such a wonderful blend of salty and sweet ❤️ I can’t wait to try Matt’s soufflé recipe and read his new cookbook!!
A decadent chocolate souffle on a Tuesday?! Wow!
My fav go to chocolate dessert is the chocolate whiskey cake adapted from Dol Miles, the pastry chef at Frank Stitt’s Bottega restaurant in Birmingham, Ala. The adapted version has coffee, black pepper and cloves with chocolate and whiskey (of course!)
This is going to be my first souffle. I’ve been very excited to try making one. I’m very excited
I tend to go with things that are chocolate and peanut butter. One of my favorites is chocolate brownie with peanut butter frosting.
My favorite chocolate dessert is La Maison du Chocolat’s Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse. It is absolutely exquisite!
Can’t wait to try this souffle recipe! A souffle is intimidating, to say the least, but my fingers are crossed this will be a winner. My favorite chocolate recipe is my Mom’s Buttermilk Chocolate Cake, and she got the recipe from her Mom–a from-scratch recipe through and through. Though I’ve baked other chocolate cakes over the years, this family favorite is now the ONLY one my 35-year-old son requests for his birthday. It was a bittersweet moment to pass the recipe and it’s history on to my son’s fiancé’ but she loves to bake, and it’s time to share the joy.
Thank you for the chance to win the book. I have a number of favorite chocolate recipes, one of which is triple chocolate biscotti. I would like to try the chocolate silk pie recipe.
Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting!
Flourless chocolate mousse cake with chocolate ganache.
Fav chocolate recipe has got to be my roommate’s vegan chocolate cake. I’m not vegan, but it’s now the only chocolate cake I will ever make! So moist, so chocolaty, so delicious.
Lifetime lover of chocolate right here! Currently my favorite recipe is studio baked’s Dark chocolate brownies with a crackle top. Very excited to try this soufflé recipe!