The Best Chocolate Soufflé Ever is a rich, airy dessert made by folding whipped egg whites into a smooth dark chocolate base. Baked until tall and slightly crisp on top, it reveals a warm, molten center and is best served immediately with a dusting of sugar or a scoop of ice cream.

Ingredients

• Very soft butter and sugar for the ramekins
• 300g whole milk
• 60g egg yolks
• 15g corn starch
• 300g dark chocolate, melted, at room temperature (75%)
• 250g egg whites
• 90g sugar
• For decoration: chocolate discs or chocolate flakes (optional)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180C degrees.
• Brush soft butter all over the inside of the ramekins, Coat with sugar, tapping out excess. Run your thumb around the inside rim of the ramekins, creating a little border by removing 1mm of butter and sugar layer from the top of the dish sides, so that they reach almost to the height of the sides (see photo). Place the ramekins in the refrigerator.
• In a medium saucepan, heat milk until simmering.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk egg yolks and corn starch together.
• Pour the hot milk over the egg yolks mix. Do this a little bit at a time while mixing, so that you do not cook the eggs.
• Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, with constant whisking, until thickened and it comes to a boil, exactly like Crème Pâtissière.
• Pour immediately over the melted chocolate, stir until well combined (the batter should be thick).
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining egg whites in 2 additions. Fold scraping from the bottom of the bowl and turning the bowl as you go, just until incorporated.
• Transfer mixture to the ramekins, taking care not to get batter on top edge of dish, smooth top. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until puffed and set.
• Remove from the oven, place a chocolate disc on each soufflé or sprinkle with chocolate flakes (optional). Serve as soon as the soufflé comes out of the oven as it sinks quickly.

Recipe from Shamsudheen T