Rosie Makes Decadent Chocolate Soufflés For Valentine's Day.

 When you care enough to give the very best ...

Nothing says I love you better than heart-shaped chicken nuggets.
It's for when you really don't give a crap.



 For your Valentine's pleasure,

I'm making chocolate soufflés.

For you and your partner

and six friends/acquaintances.

Think of it as a Valentine's Day Dinner Party for 8.

And there ya go.

Today, I'm preparing chocolate soufflé, a decadent dessert if there ever was one.  Sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with vanilla ice cream and a raspberry/strawberry sauce, this is a little slice of heaven. 

Now this recipe makes enough for 8 1-cup ramekins, for individual servings.  I suggest you invite enough people over to savor the soufflé at its peak of perfection.  Although they're still delicious deflated.

Raspberry/Strawberry Sauce

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup water

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 cup raspberries

Mix all in a small sauce pan and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally.  Mash to a mush.  Set aside.  Serve warm.

Rosie’s Chocolate Soufflé

Set oven at 425°

8 greased 1 cup ramekins

4 ounces Baker’s sweet chocolate

3.5 ounces Lindt 85% cocoa extra dark bar

1/3 cup hot strong coffee

1 cup skim milk

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup flour

3 TB unsalted butter

Pinch kosher salt

1 TB vanilla

4 egg yolks, whisked

6 egg whites, room temperature

½ cup sugar

Directions:

Pour hot coffee over the chocolates and let melt.  Stir and set aside.

In a medium sauce pan, combine skim, cream, and flour.  Whisking constantly, bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Whisk in the butter, salt, and vanilla.

Temper the whisked yolks.  Slowly pour in a ladleful of the hot milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly.  Remember:  You do not want scrambled.  Whisk in two more ladles, then pour the yolk mixture back into the milk mixture, whisking thoroughly.  Stir in the chocolate mixture to combine.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Slowly beat in the sugar and continue beating on high until you have stiff shiny peaks.  The definitive test is if you can turn the bowl upside down and the whites don’t fall out.  Yes.  I do it.

When the whites are ready, spoon about a quarter of the whites and stir into the chocolate mixture to lighten it.  Then slowly pour the chocolate mixture down the side of the bowl of the whites.  Lightly fold in, rotating the bowl.

Ladle soufflé mixture into ramekins, placed on a baking sheet.

Put in oven.

Reduce temperature to 375° and bake approximately 24-26 minutes.  After 20 minutes, carefully open oven door and sprinkle powdered sugar over top of each.  Continue baking until done.  Mine rose about 1 ½ inches over the top of the ramekins.  Remove from oven and serve IMMEDIATELY!

Remember, the soufflé waits for no one.  YOU wait on the soufflé.

Upside-down egg whites.

Lightly fold in the whites.

Pour into prepared ramekins.