A beautiful rise. A fluffy, flavorful, lighter than air, filling. A dessert that sighs as you delve in to it with your spoon. These are the makings of a perfectly made Soufflé. A French dessert so iconic that all the best restaurants feature one but few people attempt to make them at home. I am going to share with you the best chocolate soufflé recipe - full of Chef's tips and tricks to succeed at making this intimidating dessert at home. Are you ready to feel like Julia Child in the kitchen?
Le Chef Sébastien began making Soufflés while working in Michelin starred restaurants in the South of France. He learned to perfect the little gestures that make all difference between a flat and a towering Soufflé. In restaurants you can't mess up your Soufflé and try again - they have to be made to order and take almost 20 minutes to cook. The guest is waiting for their perfect soufflé every time so Chefs develop fail-proof techniques for making them beautifully at every order.
Le Chef's Tips for a fail-proof Soufflé
- Do no over whip your egg whites. Stop whipping when the egg whites form stiff peaks. If they are clumping they are over whipped.
- Use a pastry brush to coat your ramekins with melted butter. Brush in upward strokes around the sides - Le Chef swears that this helps guide the Soufflé upwards!
- Put a light dusting of sugar over the coated ramekin. Swirl the ramekin in your hand to make sure the sugar is evenly coated on the sides.
- Tap then ramekin on counter top so that any excess sugar falls to the bottom - discard
- Immediately place your ramekin in the freezer for 5 minutes to let the butter and sugar set.
- Repeat the process of coating with butter and adding a thin layer of sugar and freezing 3 times. (yes! Le Chef swears by this)
- When blending the crème pâtissière and the egg whites, use a silicone spatula to very gently fold the ingredients together. Try to mix as little as possible - over mixing the egg whites will cause them to deflate (not good!)
- Pre-heat the oven to 360 degrees on the convection setting.
- Place the ramekin on a sizzling platter or sturdy cookie sheet that will not bend or warp when you remove it before placing on the middle rack of the oven (with no rack above!)
- Never, EVER, under any circumstances, open the oven to "check" before the Soufflé is done. Many culinary apprentices have had to change careers after prematurely opening the oven! Be warned 🙂
- Serve immediately. Soufflés wait for no one. Make sure your guests are seated and ready before the Soufflé comes out of the oven.
Equipment Needed:
This recipe is for making 2 , 12 oz Chocolate Soufflés that are perfect for sharing for 2-3 people each.
12 oz Soufflé Ramekins - Oven safe stoneware (you can also use 4, 6 oz Soufflé ramekins for individual portions)
Stand Mixer (This is the Kitchen Aid Mini that I use - I haven't actually ever needed a larger size and this one fits nicely in my small kitchen)
Mixing bowls - I love my collection of Duralex heat safe glass bowls
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Ingredients:
Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream) ingredients:
(this recipe is in grams because it is the most precise way to bake. I highly recommend purchasing a pastry scale if you do not already have one. It will open up a whole new world of baking for you! )
125 grams of sugar (about ¾ cup)
30 grams of corn starch (about ¼ cup)
3 eggs
500 ml of whole milk (about 2 ¼ cups)
20 grams of butter ( about 1.5 tbsp)
Chocolate Soufflé Ingredients
100 grams of sugar (about ½ cup)
6 egg whites
4 tsp cocoa powder (I like to use dutch process dark cocoa powder here)
1 cup of Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream - see above)
Step 1: Make the Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream)
Whisk the eggs and and sugar together until the sugar completely dissolves.
In a saucepan over medium low heat, pour the milk then add the sugar/eggs mixture as well as the butter.
Sift in the cornstarch. Begin stirring using a whisk in a figure "8" motion.
Constantly stir. Watch that the milk does not start to stick.
This takes a while! It took 8 minutes the first time I made this recipe. The second time I bumped up the the heat to medium halfway through so it took a little less time, but only do that if you are keeping the closest eye on your milk so it doesn't burn.
In French there is an expression that says "you have to watch it like milk on the stove", our equivalent to "watching something like a hawk". Whoever created the French expression must have been making pastry cream.
When the pastry cream begins to thicken, remove the pot from the stove and immediately transfer into a heat safe bowl so that it stops cooking. You will know that the pastry cream is thick enough when you begin to see the bottom of the pan as you are making the figure "8"s. Cover the surface with plastic wrap (being careful to lay the plastic wrap directly on top of the pastry cream so that a crust does not form!) and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
For the Soufflé
Mix the sugar with the egg whites until stiff peaks form (careful not to over mix - you want the egg whites to appear smooth and thick.
Meanwhile, in another mixing bowl - stir together the cocoa powder and 1 cup of your crème pâtissière until the mixture is fully blended. When the egg whites are ready, VERY gently yet quickly, fold them into the chocolate pastry cream.
When blending the crème pâtissière and the egg whites, use a silicone spatula to very gently fold the ingredients together. Try to mix as little as possible - over mixing the egg whites will cause them to deflate (not good!)
Gently spoon the mixture into your Soufflé ramekins, (1 large, 2 medium or 4 individual sized )
Fill to the top of the dish, making sure not to pile up. Using your thumb, rim the sides of the ramekin so that the soufflé has space to grow.
Preparing the ramekins:
Use a pastry brush to coat your ramekins with melted butter. Brush in upward strokes around the sides - Le Chef swears that this helps guide the soufflé upwards!
Put a light dusting of sugar over the coated ramekin. Swirl the ramekin in your hand to make sure the sugar is evenly coated on the sides.
Tap then ramekin on counter top so that any excess sugar falls to the bottom - discard.
Immediately place your ramekin in the freezer for 5 minutes to let the butter and sugar set.
Repeat the process of coating with butter and adding a thin layer of sugar and freezing 3 times. (yes! Le Chef swears by this).
Confession: I once repeated the above steps only twice. The Soufflé still turned out beautifully. Did I feel like I was rebelling when I did it? Absolutely 🙂
Baking the Soufflé
Preheat your oven to 360 degrees on the convection bake setting. Let the oven fully heat up before adding the soufflé.
Place on sizzling platter so that the soufflé is easy to remove from the oven.
Place soufflé on middle rack, for 18 minutes.
Keep an eye on the soufflé but, NEVER, EVER open the oven door when a soufflé is baking.
Remove very, very delicately and serve immediately.
How to serve Chocolate Soufflé
Quickly. Very quickly, before the Soufflé falls!
I like to dust icing sugar over the top for dramatic effect but you can also serve with a side of chocolate ganache or fruit sauce to pour into the Soufflé while serving. And that, mes amis, is another recipe for another day.
Bon Appétit!
Other classic French Dessert recipes, made simple, you will enjoy:
Please let me know if you try this recipe - a comment and star rating help new people find my blog. It is very much appreciated!
The best chocolate soufflé recipe ever!
Print
The Best Chocolate Soufflé Recipe
- Prep Time: 45
- Cook Time: 18
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Description
The best, no fail recipe for a Chocolate Soufflé! Learn to make this impressive, decadent, lighter-than-air dessert at home with tips from Le Chef.
Ingredients
Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream) ingredients:
(this recipe is in grams because it is the most precise way to bake. I highly recommend purchasing a pastry scale if you do not already have one. It will open up a whole new world of baking for you! )
125 grams of sugar (about ¾ cup)
30 grams of corn starch (about ¼ cup)
3 eggs
500 ml of whole milk (2 ¼ cups)
20 grams of butter ( about 1.5 tbsp)
Chocolate Soufflé Ingredients
100 grams of sugar (about ½ cup)
6 egg whites
4 tsp cocoa powder (I like to use dutch process dark cocoa powder here)
1 cup of Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream - see above)
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream)
Whisk the eggs and and sugar together until the sugar completely dissolves.
In a saucepan over medium low heat, pour the milk then add the sugar/eggs mixture as well as the butter.
Sift in the cornstarch - using a whisk in a figure "8" motion.
Constantly stir. Watch that the milk does not start to stick.
This takes a while! It took 8 minutes the first time I made this recipe. The second time I bumped up the the heat to medium halfway through so it took a little less time, but only do that if you are keeping the closest eye on your milk so it doesn't burn.
In French there is an expression that says "you have to watch it like milk on the stove", our equivalent to "watching something like a hawk". Whoever created the French expression must have been making pastry cream.
When the pastry cream begins to thicken, remove the pot from the stove and immediately transfer into a heat safe bowl so that it stops cooking. You will know that the pastry cream is thick enough when you begin to see the bottom of the pan as you are making the figure "8"s. Cover the surface with plastic wrap (being careful to lay the plastic wrap directly on top of the pastry cream so that a crust does not form!) and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.
For the Soufflé
Mix the sugar with the egg whites until stiff peaks form (careful not to over mix - you want the egg whites to appear smooth and thick.
Meanwhile, in another mixing bowl - stir together the cocoa powder and 1 cup of your crème pâtissière until the mixture is fully blended. When the egg whites are ready, VERY gently yet quickly, fold them into the chocolate pastry cream.
When blending the crème pâtissière and the egg whites, use a silicone spatula to very gently fold the ingredients together. Try to mix as little as possible - over mixing the egg whites will cause them to deflate (not good!)
Gently spoon the mixture into your Soufflé ramekins, (1 large, 2 medium or 4 individual sized )
Fill to the top of the dish, making sure not to pile up. Using your thumb, rim the sides of the ramekin so that the soufflé has space to grow.
Preparing the ramekins:
Use a pastry brush to coat your ramekins with melted butter. Brush in upward strokes around the sides - Le Chef swears that this helps guide the soufflé upwards!
Put a light dusting of sugar over the coated ramekin. Swirl the ramekin in your hand to make sure the sugar is evenly coated on the sides.
Tap then ramekin on counter top so that any excess sugar falls to the bottom - discard
Immediately place your ramekin in the freezer for 5 minutes to let the butter and sugar set.
Repeat the process of coating with butter and adding a thin layer of sugar and freezing 3 times. (yes! Le Chef swears by this).
Confession: I once repeated the above steps only twice. The Soufflé still turned out beautifully. Did I feel like I was rebelling when I did it? Absolutely 🙂
Baking the Soufflé
Preheat your oven to 360 degrees on the convection bake setting. Let the oven fully heat up before adding the soufflé.
Place on sizzling platter so that the soufflé is easy to remove from the oven.
Place soufflé on middle rack, for 18 minutes.
Keep an eye on the soufflé but, NEVER, EVER open the oven door when a soufflé is baking.
You will know when the soufflé is done when it is nicely risen and the sides that rise above the ramekin are no longer wet.
Remove very, very delicately and serve immediately. I like to set oven dish directly on a dessert plate and bring to the table. Remind your guests that the dish is very hot!
Notes
Le Chef's Tips for a fail-proof Soufflé
- Do no over whip your egg whites. Stop whipping when the egg whites form stiff peaks. If they are clumping they are over whipped.
- Use a pastry brush to coat your ramekins with melted butter. Brush in upward strokes around the sides - Le Chef swears that this helps guide the Soufflé upwards!
- Put a light dusting of sugar over the coated ramekin. Swirl the ramekin in your hand to make sure the sugar is evenly coated on the sides.
- Tap then ramekin on counter top so that any excess sugar falls to the bottom - discard
- Immediately place your ramekin in the freezer for 5 minutes to let the butter and sugar set.
- Repeat the process of coating with butter and adding a thin layer of sugar and freezing 3 times. (yes! Le Chef swears by this)
- When blending the crème pâtissière and the egg whites, use a silicone spatula to very gently fold the ingredients together. Try to mix as little as possible - over mixing the egg whites will cause them to deflate (not good!)
- Pre-heat the oven to 360 degrees on the convection setting.
- Place the ramekin on a sizzling platter or sturdy cookie sheet that will not bend or warp when you remove it before placing on the middle rack of the oven (with no rack above!)
- Never, EVER, under any circumstances, open the oven to "check" before the Soufflé is done. Many culinary apprentices have had to change careers after prematurely opening the oven! Be warned 🙂
- Serve immediately. Soufflés wait for no one. Make sure your guests are seated and ready before the Soufflé comes out of the oven.
Rachel says
This looks amazing! Looks like a kitchen scale is in my future 😉
lechefswife says
Hello Rachel, I hope it is! I use my kitchen scale all the time, it opens up a whole new world of cooking. Bon Appétit, Anina Belle