Warm Milk Chocolate Souffles With Vanilla Ice Cream Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Brush bottom and sides of 2 (5-ounce) ramekins lightly with 1 teaspoon melted butter; cover bottom and sides right up to the rim. Add 1 tablespoon white sugar to ramekins. Rotate ramekins until sugar coats all surfaces. Pour off extra sugar.
• Place chocolate pieces in a metal mixing bowl. Place bowl over a pan of about 3 cups hot water over low heat. Do not let water boil or come to a simmer.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour. Whisk until flour is incorporated into butter and mixture thickens, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to low. Whisk in cold milk until mixture becomes smooth and thickens, 2 or 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Transfer mixture to bowl with melted chocolate. Add salt and very small pinch of cayenne pepper. Mix together thoroughly. Add egg yolk and mix to combine. Leave bowl above the hot (not simmering) water to keep chocolate warm while you whip the egg whites.
• Place 2 egg whites in a mixing bowl; add cream of tartar. Whisk until mixture begins to thicken and a drizzle from the whisk stays on the surface about 1 second before disappearing into the mix, 2 or 3 minutes. Add 1/3 of sugar and whisk in. Whisk in a bit more sugar about 15 seconds; whisk in the rest of the sugar. Continue whisking until mixture is about as thick as shaving cream and holds soft peaks, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer a little less than half of egg whites to chocolate. Mix until egg whites are thoroughly incorporated into the chocolate, 1 or 2 minutes. Add the rest of the egg whites; gently fold into the chocolate with a spatula, lifting from the bottom and folding over. Stop mixing after the egg white disappears. Divide mixture between 2 prepared ramekins. Place ramekins on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until scuffles are puffed and have risen above the top of the rims, 12 to 15 minutes.

MILK-CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees with rack in lower third. Butter six 6-ounce ramekins; coat with sugar. Place on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Heat chocolate in small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until melted, then stir until smooth. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Bring milk, vanilla bean and seeds, and salt to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low. In a large bowl, whisk together yolks and 1/4 cup sugar until pale and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add flour and whisk until well combined.
• Remove vanilla bean from milk mixture (discard or reserve for another use), then gradually add half to yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk yolk mixture into remaining milk mixture in saucepan. Bring just to a boil, whisking constantly, then reduce heat and simmer until thick and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in melted chocolate. Transfer to a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto surface of mixture. Let cool completely.
• In another bowl, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and whisk until peaks are stiff and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Spoon one-quarter of whites mixture into custard base, then whisk thoroughly until smooth. Gently fold in remaining whites mixture until combined. (Don't worry if some streaks remain.) Divide evenly among prepared ramekins. Bake until risen and set, 16 to 18 minutes. Serve immediately, with sweetened whipped cream.

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.

VANILLA SOUFFLE AND ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Butter and sugar eight 6-ounce souffle dishes, including the rim of each dish. In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine milk and vanilla bean with scrapings. Bring to a boil, and remove from heat. Cover, and let steep for 1 hour. Remove bean from milk, and reserve for another use.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, and salt. Add 1/2 cup steeped milk, whisking to combine and form a paste. Transfer paste to saucepan with milk, and cook over medium heat while whisking constantly until thickened and smooth, about 5 to 8 minutes. If the mixture begins to get lumpy, remove from heat, and whisk until smooth. Remove saucepan from heat.
• Prepare an ice-water bath: Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice. Add egg yolks and vanilla extract to milk mixture, and whisk to combine. Transfer souffle base mixture to a shallow 1-quart container. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Set saucepan in the ice-water bath to cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Remove souffle base from refrigerator, and bring to room temperature, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with rack in center. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip 5 egg whites on low speed with cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar while slowly increasing the speed of the mixer until it is on high. Whip until egg whites are stiff and shiny.
• Gently fold egg whites into the souffle base in three additions. Divide between prepared dishes, gently tap on each dish on the work surface, and place on a baking sheet. Transfer to oven, and bake until dark golden and the sides appear spongelike, 16 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and dust with confectioners' sugar. Serve immediately with vanilla bean ice cream.

CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE CREAM

Steps:

• Butter four 2/3-cup soufflé dishes; coat with sugar. Stir water and espresso powder in heavy small saucepan until espresso powder dissolves. Add chocolate and brandy. Stir over low heat until mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in yolks. Cool to room temperature.
• Beat egg whites in large bowl until foamy. Gradually add 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar and beat until medium-firm peaks form. Fold chocolate mixture into whites. Divide among soufflé dishes. Place on baking sheet. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand uncovered at room temperature.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake soufflés until puffed but still moist in center, about 14 minutes. Dust soufflés with powdered sugar. Serve immediately, passing White Chocolate Cream separately.

NEVER-FAIL CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• In a medium-sized bowl, combine cocoa and cornstarch thoroughly.
• Add a little of the cream and whisk to make a smooth paste.
• Whisk in remaining cream and the liqueur.
• I have made this with Kahlua, Grand Marnier, Chambord and brandy-- they're all good.
• If you use the evaporated milk instead of cream, expect the mixture to be pretty soupy.
• In a large bowl, beat egg whites until almost stiff.
• Slowly beat in sugar and beat until stiff and glossy.
• Now gently whisk a quarter of the egg whites into the cocoa mixture.
• Gently fold in another quarter.
• Now add all this mixture into the remainder of the egg whites and gently fold until well blended.
• Spoon the souffle batter into 6-to-8 1/2-cup sized custard cups.
• The volume you get will depend on how well you beat the egg whites and if you folded them into the cocoa mixture without deflating them too much.
• Don't worry, even if you only get 6 they will be wonderful.
• Set custard cups into a deep baking pan and carry this to the oven.
• Open oven, pull out rack, and set down pan.
• Now pour very hot tap water in the baking pan to come up about one-inch around the outside of the custard cups.
• (I do it this way so I don't have to carry the pan with the souffles and water to the oven-- it's heavy and you risk sloshing water into your souffles.) Slide in oven rack, close oven door and bake for 25 minutes.
• The centres will be a little runny, as they should be.
• Serve immediately.

WARM CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES WITH PISTACHIO ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter eight 3/4-cup soufflé dishes or custard cups. Melt chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Transfer to large bowl; cool.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar; beat until stiff but not dry.
• Whisk yolks, flour and vanilla into melted chocolate mixture. Fold in 1/3 of egg whites to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Divide soufflé mixture evenly among soufflé dishes. Transfer to baking sheet. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
• Bake soufflés until edges are set but tester inserted into center comes out with wet batter attached, about 15 minutes if baked immediately or 20 minutes if refrigerated overnight. Serve immediately with Pistachio Ice Cream.

WARM MILK CHOCOLATE SOUFFLES WITH VANILLA ICE CREAM

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter eight 3/4-cup soufflé dishes. Coat soufflé dishes with sugar. Arrange soufflé dishes on heavy large baking sheet. Stir milk chocolate and butter in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until chocolate mixture is melted and smooth (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water). Cool chocolate mixture to lukewarm.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks, whole eggs, and sugar in large bowl until pale, thick, and tripled in volume, about 6 minutes. Fold 1/3 of egg mixture into lukewarm chocolate mixture to lighten. Gently fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg mixture. Spoon into prepared dishes, dividing equally. Smooth tops.
• Bake until soufflés rise and edges are crisp and dark brown but centers are still soft, about 25 minutes. Dust tops with powdered sugar. Transfer to plates. Serve immediately, passing ice cream separately.