Chocolate Souffles

April 28, 2006 at 3:02 pm (Alice Medrich, Dessert, F (0 stars, inedible), Necessarily nonvegan, Other)

I love decadent chocolate desserts, so was very interested in trying this lower calorie version of chocolate souffles from Alice Medrich’s cookbook Chocolate and the Art of Low-Fat Desserts. Medrich says these souffles are dark and very rich in chocolate flavor, not at all light or ethereal. She also says they’re a good dessert when you need to make it ahead of time.

Chocolate Souffles

Serves 8.

1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened dutch processed cocoa
2 Tbs. flour
1/2 cup lowfat milk
4 egg whites, at room temperature
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
3 Tbs. + 1 tsp. granulated sugar
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 Tbs. powdered sugar, for dusting

1. Position the rack in lower third of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray eight 4- to 5- ounce souffle cups with vegetable oil spray.

2. Sift the powdered sugar, cocoa, and flour into the top of a double boiler. Add the milk and 1/2 cup water and whisk until smooth. Cook over very gently simmering water, whisking continuously, for about 10 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat. Set aside.

3. Beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in sugar, beating at high speed until stiff buy not dry.

4. Whisk the egg yolks nad vnaill into the chocolate mixture. Fold about a quarter of the egg whites in the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whites. Divide mixture evenly among the cups. It can cup to about 1/4 inch below the rims. (Souffles may be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day).

5. Place the cups on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 17 minute (19 to 20 minutes if souffles were refrigerated), or until souffles have puffed well above the cups and a bamboo skewer inserted from the side deep into hte center comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it. Do not overbake.

6. To serve: sieve a little powdered sugar over each souffle and serve immediately.

My notes:

My souffles turned out pretty bad. I’ve never had a souffle before so I’m not sure exactly what it was supposed to be like, but I didn’t like the texture at all, and the flavor had a funny off smell, I have no idea why. Maybe I made a mistake though, because it made about 1.5 times as much batter as it was supposed to. I actually just tossed them.

Rating: C