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!