The Kitchn: How to make chocolate souffles
I believe everyone should try making a chocolate souffle at least once in their lives. Not only are they one of the most heavenly things you can eat with a spoon, but they are a total confidence booster. I'm not going to say they're easy, exactly, but they're also surprisingly not all that hard. They're just tricky enough that when you pull those domed cups out of the oven and carry them reverently to the table, you will feel like you really accomplished something great. In that moment, you are a cooking superstar.
The beautiful simplicity of a souffle
I've always found souffles incredibly alluring and charming in their very simplicity. Eggs are separated into yolks and whites. The yolks get whisked into a rich, flavorful base -- in this case, melted chocolate -- while the whites get whipped to stiff peaks. Fold the whites into the base, transfer it to cups, and bake. So simple!
In the heat of the oven, the air trapped inside the whipped egg whites starts to expand; this lifts the whole souffle, giving the finished dish a foamy, airy texture -- a nice contrast to the richness of the base.
You'll notice there are an uneven number of whites and yolks in this recipe. The extra whites actually help to give the souffles more height and poof.
What rises must also fall
Souffles will fall. You did nothing wrong -- it's their nature. The delicate structure of the whipped egg foam isn't sturdy enough to support its own weight once the heat of the oven is no longer helping everything stay poofed. But the idea that you need to rush the souffles to the table and devour them before they collapse is just silly. Appreciate their domed beauty while it lasts and then dig in at your leisure.
Tips for souffle success
While this dessert is remarkably straight-forward, there are a few things to keep in mind:
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