Dark Chocolate Souffle

Souffles are actualy quite easy to make, although some people are intimidated by the idea. The product of this recipe is rather like a chocolate mousse served hot - rich, dark and gooey. Since the recipe is mostly chocolate, the quality of the chocolate is important: you want a dark, not-too-sweet chocolate with plenty of cocoa solids.

It is important to have an appropriate dish to bake your souffle, which means a round ceramic dish with high, vertical sides. The dish used for this 2-egg souffle is approximately 5 inches (13cm) in diameter and 2.5 inches (6cm) high. You will also need a ballon whisk to beat the egg whites.

2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsps white flour
2 tbsps butter
3/4 cup of chopped dark chocolate

- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F or 180 degrees C.

- Seperate the eggs. Put the egg whites into a large bowl, add a small pinch of salt & place the bowl in the fridge.

- Make a roux using the butter, flour and milk. This means that you melt the butter on medium-low heat and stir the flour into it. Then when the flour and butter are mixed, add the milk very, very gradually while stirring so that it develops a thick, even consistency. If in doubt about this stage, keep the heat pretty low, add the milk very slowly (ie. over several minutes) and stir constantly.

- When you have the roux (ie. butter, flour and milk) thickened, stir in the egg yolks and the chocolate while keeping it on low heat. Add the chocolate gradually: you want it all to melt, but you should avoid burning it. As soon as these are combined into a thick, chocolately goo, take it off the heat.

- Take the bowl containing the egg whites and use a balloon whisk to beat them until the whites form stiff peaks.

- Now, using a metal spoon turned sideways, use a few strokes to combine the chocolate mixture with the egg whites, trying not to lose the fluffiness of the egg whites.

- Pour into the souffle dish and bake for around 25 minutes. The result will provide pudding (dessert) for 2 people. If you scale up the recipe to use 3 or 4 eggs and use a bigger dish, then the cooking time should be increased slightly.