Chocolate Bourbon Caramel Souffles Recipes

CHOCOLATE-BOURBON TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Set a stainless steel mixing bowl over a pan of boiling water to make a double boiler. Put chocolate, cream and salt in bowl and heat until chocolate is completely melted, about 15 minutes.
• Add vanilla and bourbon and whisk thoroughly, until mixture is smooth and shiny. Pour into a pie plate or baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Use a melon baller or soup spoon to make rough 1/2-ounce spheres. Roll between cocoa-dusted palms, then in crushed nuts. Refrigerate, but don't serve them ice cold; remove from the refrigerator 10 minutes before serving.

CHOCOLATE BOURBON CARAMEL SOUFFLES

Steps:

• lightly coat inside 6 ramekins with butter; coat with sugar, tapping out excess. place 1 tbsp caramel sauce in bottom of each.
• in large microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolates and butter. zap on high, 20 seconds at a time, stirring, til melted and smooth. in separate bowl, combine egg yolks and salt. beat with electric mixer til thickened and pale.
• in small saucepan, combine water and 1/2 of sugar; bring to boil over med-hi heat. resume beating egg yolks. with mixer running, drizzle in hot sugar mixture. whip on high til light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. fold into chocolate mixture. stir in bourbon and set aside.
• in clean bowl, with clean beaters, whip egg whites with cream of tartar til frothy. slowly add remaining sugar while continuing to beat, until whites hold stiff peak. gently fold into chocolate mixture. spoon into prepared ramekins, smoothing tops and wiping rims. REFRIGERATE AT LEAST 2 HOURS, OR OVERNIGHT.
• when ready to bake, heat oven to 350. bake 15-17 minutes or til risen and puffy with soft-firm top and set center. serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE-WHISKEY TRUFFLES SOUFFLES WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make truffles:
• Bring cream to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate; whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Mix in whiskey. Chill until mixture is cold and firm, at least 2 hours.
• Drop truffle mixture by tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper. Line baking sheet with foil. Roll each chocolate drop between palms into ball (if truffle sticks to hands, dust hands with unsweetened cocoa powder); place on baking sheet. Freeze until hard, about 1 hour; then cover. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Keep frozen.)
• Make sauce:
• Place cream in small bowl. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean. Mix seeds and bean into cream.
• Stir sugar and water in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber color, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; add cream (mixture will bubble vigorously). Return pan to low heat; stir until caramel is smooth. Boil until color deepens and caramel thickens, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Strain caramel into small bowl. Chill sauce. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.)
• Make soufflés:
• Whisk yolks to blend in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch and cocoa in medium stainless steel bowl until no cornstarch lumps remain. Whisk in milk. Add chocolate and butter. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean.
• Place bowl with chocolate mixture over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Whisk until mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from over water. Gradually whisk some of hot chocolate mixture into yolks. Whisk yolk mixture back into bowl with chocolate mixture.
• Place over simmering water. Whisk until smooth and thickened to pudding consistency, about 4 minutes. Remove from over water. Gradually mix in whiskey. Remove bean; cool to lukewarm.
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Butter eight 2/3- to 3/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups; dust with sugar. Arrange dishes on baking sheet. Place 1 truffle in each dish.
• Using electric mixer, beat whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff but not dry.
• Fold whites into lukewarm soufflé base in 2 additions. Divide soufflé mixture among prepared dishes, filling almost to top. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover dishes with foil and freeze. Uncover but do not thaw before baking.) Place soufflés on baking sheet in oven; reduce temperature to 400°F. Bake until puffed and dry-looking on top, about 17 minutes for unfrozen or 22 minutes for frozen.
• Transfer dishes to plates. Sift powdered sugar over. Serve, passing cold caramel sauce separately.

CARAMEL SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a pastry brush, brush six 4-by-2 1/2-inch (10 ounce) ramekins with butter, brushing the sides with an upward stroke. Coat each with turbinado sugar, shaking out excess; set aside.
• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 1 cup granulated sugar over high heat, without stirring, until edges begin to turn golden. Stir sugar, working from the edges toward the center, until sugar is melted and caramel in color, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove sugar from heat and slowly whisk in cream, taking care as mixture may splatter and bubble. Add milk and whisk to combine. Return to heat, and bring caramel mixture to a boil.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together egg yolks and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour and cornstarch and whisk until mixture becomes thick and stiff, like buttercream. Slowly whisk in half of the caramel mixture until well combined. Transfer to saucepan with remaining caramel mixture and return to heat. Cook, whisking, until mixture is thickened and separates from the pan, about 5 minutes. Transfer caramel mixture to a large bowl; cover with plastic wrap pressing down on the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on medium speed until foamy. Increase speed and add remaining 6 tablespoons granulated sugar in three additions, beating well after each addition, until whites form very stiff peaks. Whisk half of the whites into caramel mixture; gently fold remaining whites into caramel mixure.
• Divide mixture evenly between prepared ramekins. If desired, place each filled ramekin, one at a time, in a microwave set at 50 percent power. Cook for 10 seconds, turn, and cook for 10 seconds more. This creates a sugar crust around the souffle and will help it to rise.
• Place ramekins on a large baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake until souffles have risen and tops are golden and slightly firm to the touch, about 18 minutes if using a microwave (about 20 if not). Serve immediately.

CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES WITH CREAMY CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Butter six 1-cup ramekins (4 by 2 inches) and coat with sugar, knocking out excess sugar.
• Finely chop chocolate. In a small saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add cream and bring just to a boil. Remove pan from heat and add chocolate, stirring until smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and stir in yolks.
• In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with cream of tartar and a pinch salt until they just hold stiff peaks. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, beating until just combined. Stir one fourth whites into chocolate mixture to lighten and fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Divide soufflé mixture among ramekins and smooth tops with a knife. Run tip of knife around edges of soufflés to aid rising. Soufflés may be made up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, loosely wrapped in plastic wrap.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Bake soufflés on a baking sheet in lower third of oven until puffed and surfaces are cracked, about 20 minutes.
• Top soufflés with sauce and serve immediately.

CARAMEL SOUFFLéS WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Butter 5 x 150ml individual soufflé dishes or ramekins and sprinkle all over with 2 tbsp soft brown sugar. Place on a baking sheet. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add sugar, cream, vanilla and a good pinch salt. When sugar is melted, bubble for 1 min until it looks like a sauce. Pour 200ml into a jug for serving.
• Stir egg yolks and flour into remaining caramel in the saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens, about 3 mins. Sieve into a bowl and cool for 15 mins. Beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy, then gradually beat in remaining 2 tbsp sugar until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold one-third of whites into caramel mixture in the pan, then fold that back into the whites. Divide among dishes, and use a palette knife to scrape top level. Bake until soufflés are puffed and golden - about 11 mins. The soufflés should still be a little unset in the middle, but not runny, so if you're serving four, break into your tester to check. Return the rest to oven for 2 mins if underdone. Serve immediately with caramel sauce, warmed a little while soufflés are baking.