By Melissa Clark
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- 5(1,038)
- Notes
- Read community notes
Dark and intense in flavor, yet with a light and custardy texture, a chocolate soufflé is an eternal showstopper of a dessert. To get that intense chocolate flavor, this version uses a base of melted butter and chocolate without any starch. Be sure to use excellent bittersweet chocolate, but if you prefer a slightly sweeter soufflé, feel free to substitute milk chocolate for all or part of the bittersweet. Or to move the soufflé in the other direction, substitute a chocolate with a higher cocoa solids ratio, 70 to 75 percent, which will decrease the overall sugar. For maximum "wow" factor, always serve a soufflé straight from the oven. Crème anglaise or chocolate sauce would be fine accompaniments, as would scoops of your favorite ice cream. This recipe is part of The New Essentials of French Cooking, a guide to definitive dishes every modern cook should master.
Learn: How to Make Soufflé
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Ingredients
Yield:6 servings
- ½cup/114 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), softened, plus more for coating dish
- 4tablespoons/50 grams granulated sugar, plus more for coating dish
- 8ounces/225 grams bittersweet chocolate (60 to 65 percent cacao), finely chopped
- 6eggs, separated, at room temperature
- Pinch fine sea salt
- ½teaspoon cream of tartar
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
411 calories; 31 grams fat; 18 grams saturated fat; 1 gram trans fat; 9 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 29 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 92 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Remove wire racks from oven and place a baking sheet directly on oven floor. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter a 1½-quart soufflé dish. Coat bottom and sides thoroughly with sugar, tapping out excess. For the best rise, make sure there is sugar covering all the butter on the sides of the dish.
Step
2
In a medium bowl, melt chocolate and butter either in the microwave or in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Let cool only slightly (it should still be warm), then whisk in egg yolks and salt.
Step
3
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium speed until the mixture is fluffy and holds very soft peaks. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until whites hold stiff peaks and look glossy.
Step
4
Gently whisk a quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in remaining whites in two additions, then transfer batter to prepared dish. Rub your thumb around the inside edge of the dish to create about a ¼-inch space between the dish and the soufflé mixture.
Step
5
Transfer dish to baking sheet in the oven, and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Bake until soufflé is puffed and center moves only slightly when dish is shaken gently, about 25 to 35 minutes. (Do not open oven door during first 20 minutes.) Bake it a little less for a runnier soufflé and a little more for a firmer soufflé. Serve immediately.
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5
out of 5
1,038
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Cooking Notes
Marie
If you split it up into six ramekins, what would the bake time be?
Ann
Halved the recipe and split to four small ramekins. Baked for 9 mins. Turned out perfectly despite my first attempt.
Billy
Check your owner's manual before placing the pan on the oven floor. On mine, it warped the enameled bottom, leading to a costly repair. The (expensive) souffles were excellent, however.
Jeff
I halved the recipe to make 2 servings. I cooked it in individual soufflé cups for 13 minutes and it came out perfect.
Ying
Is it possible to make the souffle mixture 1 day ahead and pop it in the oven when we're ready to serve it?
Stacey
Best soufflé recipe after trying three others. Perfect taste, light and airy. Made 8 ramekins, cooked about 14 minutes, maybe a minute long. Used guittard milk chocolate. Served with whipped cream and raspberries. Great recipe!
Marta
Great recipe. I assembled this just before my guests arrived and it was fine to bake 90 minutes later. No need to place a baking sheet on the oven floor, at least in a convection oven. Has anyone tried adding flavoring (rum, Grand Marnier, coffee etc)? If so, how much and does it affect the cooking time or temperature?
Nancy
Great recipe. Not too sweet. Very chocolatey.
Most certainly could use a sauce to top things off but I skipped doing so to save calories.
Microwaving chocolate & butter great time saver. Takes no longer to make this soufflé than a pan of homemade brownies!
Impress your friends and yourself - you won't be disappointed with this recipe!
Katherine
My mom has made Helen Corbitt's chocolate souffle for every birthday since I can remember. This is the first time I've made this chocolate souffle and I like this one better. I like that it isn't as sweet and that it uses darker chocolate. Also, this one is runny in the center and more cooked on the outsides, which means that we didn't need to make chocolate sauce to go with it. This will be my go-to souffle from now on!
Margaret
I think the cracked top is what gives it depth and beauty! Let it crack!
AtlantaCook
I made this for my brother's birthday. There were only 3 of us dining so I baked it in three containers. It was a generous serving, but none had trouble finishing it. Delightful to the last bite. I put red wine and cherries in a saucepan with a couple of tbs sugar boiled and reduced and served them on top. Delicious!
Elliot
I followed the instructions to put it on the floor of the oven and the bottom burned. I suspect this is very oven dependent. The flavor of the top 3/4 was fine, but it was more unevenly cooked than other recipes I've made, probably related to the floor being hotter than the recipe expected. Also for all the butter in it, didn't have the corresponding richness I'd expect. I'll be looking for another recipe.
Noor
This was outrageously good! The batter was enough for 8 ramekins. They needed about 12 minutes to perfection
Fariba
Made it for Sunday morning breakfast (request from my 25 yr old son). Used up the only bag of semi sweet chocolate chips we had as were under Covid 19 lockdown and things are hard to find. Made in one large batch, 29 min on the lowest rack. Center was slightly runny, the rest cooked to heavenly lightness. Got rave reviews for this first time soufflé effort.
Kim Douglas
I'm not a dessert fan but this was spectacular AND easy AND a make ahead!!! Perfect! Made the batter ahead, put it into individual ramekins and served with a dusting of icing sugar and a scoop of ice cream. Impressive!
Kevin
Instead of placing the ramekin on a large oven floor, I placed a half sheet pan on the lowest rack of the Breville oven to replicate an oven floor. Considering how close the low rack placement is to the heating element, this worked very well without jeopardizing warping issues mentioned.
Vicki Morrison
Can anyone tell me what music is playing during the video?
Allison
I second the person who said not to put the baking sheet on the oven bottom. It ruined my best baking sheet. Maybe some ovens work differently but I put the wire racks back in and put another baking sheet on the lower rack followed the recipe exactly and it turned out fantastic! I didn’t make one big casserole soufflé. I made six little soufflé and they were my best dessert ever. Just wish it didn’t ruin my best pan.
Alex
Great way to use up random remnants of chocolate chips, bars, and baking chocolate! I split mine into 4 smaller ramekins and baked for about 14 minutes on the lowest shelf (vs. the bottom of the oven). I thought it was perfect! Like a warm, chocolate cloud with a slightly meltier center.
Lance
Very easy and elegant desert. I have done it in large soufflé dish, and in 6 oz individual ramekins. For individual servings ramekins work best. This recipe will fill six 6oz ramekins, with a bit left for those young at heart who love to lick spoons.I prepare before dinner. Fill ramekins and leave on counter. When dinner is done, I just throw in oven on a bread/pizza stone I keep near bottom of oven. Watch them rise! Guests come watch. About 12 minutes until beautifully expanded. Fun.
Lance
Last comment. We had two ramekins left last time. Covered in fridge with plastic wrap. We let them warm on counter for a couple hours then reheated in oven at 350 for about ten minutes. They had deflated a bit, but were still a wonderful desert. Just as good. I had never tried that before. It works.
Byrd
Absolutely sublime! Whisked in a 1-1.5T Cointreau into the fully melted chocolate mixture. Used rack set on the lowest oven position instead of floor (as others suggested), then forget to turn the temp down when I put it in. Edges were a bit overcooked, but I'll remember next time....and there will be a next time very soon. Served with whipped cream and a drizzle of homemade hot fudge sauce. Leftovers make a delicious breakfast! ;-) Enough to make me into souffle junkie...
Bully4me
Divide this recipe by 3 and it makes two perfect individual Glorious Chocolate Souffles. Not sure if it stated above, but leaving the eggs out till at room temperature truly does make a difference in texture and how high they rise. Thanks for this simple yet splendid recipe ! Also a chilled egg custard vanilla bean sauce it perfect with this
Katherine
Does anyone have a cream of tartar substitution tip? thanks
Lance
Copper pan is traditionally used. If you have the real thing. Copper adds acid. But better to use tarter.
Carol B
Halved recipe for 3 ramekins. Followed instructions using microwave minus cream of tartar. Made batter couple of hours before and refrigerated. Baked in air fryer on low shelf on preheated pan for 7 minutes - perfection! Such an easy delightful recipe will definitely make again and again!
Maureen
I halved the recipe and split it into 4 six ounce ramekins and baked at 400 for 10min. and they came out perfect!
Nola
Don’t put it on the bottom, you’ll burn about an inch of the bottom. i would suggest putting a rack as low as possible and just putting it on there.
luke
Six ramekins - 350 for 12 minutes in a convection oven. Straight from the fridge.
Gwynnie
Question! Will this travel well? Is it stable? Thank you!
Nercon5
Spot on recipe. Made in 4 ramekins, baked for 12 mins. Easier than expected! Even dropped bowl while folding (drama!!!) but it was cool
Joe
I usually add 2 tablespoons of salt extra. It tastes soooo good totally a must try.
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