chocolate souffle with hot fudge

p.s. okay. i'm having a writer's block and find myself not being able to write as smoothly as i'd like for the continuation of my seoul trip. i think part 3 might be the hardest to write just because i have so much i want to say without boring you with every little detail. lame excuse? perhaps but pls wait for the entry in the very near future :)

as a consolation, here is another recipe entry while i work on writing about the hansik event.

remember the chocolate molten lava cake recipe i blogged about a couple of months ago? while it was absolutely delicious, it came with a price - lotsa butter and possibly fatter thighs (?)! lol.  so i was searching for a lighter alternative that still satifies your chocolate cravings with a fraction of the calories and guess what i found?

there are two parts to the recipe - the chocolate hot fudge and the chocolate souffle. i'm gonna be honest. i'm terrified of making souffle especially i have never made one before. reason being that i've heard that souffles don't always turn out well because it has to have enough air in the batter to turn into fluffy, light and cloud-like cake.

regardless, there are always firsts for everything and i took extra care to reread the recipe and took a lot longer since i was definitely more thorough with every step. chocolate is definitely the star ingredient in this recipe so i tried to get better quality chocolate bar and based on my chocolate molten lava cake experience, it was also rather important to get at least 60% dark cacao content.

one thing that you have to prep before starting the recipe is the ramekins where you have to brush it with soft butter, then coat with sugar before putting it into the freezer. also, it's important to use a double boiler to melt the finely chopped chocolate till  smooth without scorching it and it's essential to cool the melted chocolate a tad before using it in the subsequent steps.

the next part was what i was most nervous about - to know what consistency to whip the egg yolks and whites to since it determines how high your souffle was gonna rise. even with description but without photos, i wasn't sure if i was beating the eggs enough.

a few useful pointers to get better peaks:: to use a non-reactive bowl that is completely dry and it also helps if the bowl and mixer used is chilled. i whipped the egg yolks till it turns into a pale yellow and frothy. when you fold the yolks and whites into the chocolate mixture, be rather careful and gentle as you blend the mixtures completely just so you don't lose all the air you've worked so hard to beat into the eggs. and oh, you've gotta work quickly too..

once the batter is ready, it's scooped carefully into the prepared ramekins and it's off to be baked at 400 F. this is when you keep your fingers crossed and hopes it puffs an inch off the top of the ramekin. this could be your proudest or disappointing moment as you anticipate the success of your souffle making skills! oh and please don't open the oven door as it bakes because the souffle is just going to fall flat and you'd be really sad.

while the souffle is baking, you can get started with the fudge. definitely need to give some extra love & attention while stirring the mixture constantly. the great thing about this dessert is you can always make the hot fudge the day of or a couple of days in advance. you could also leave it out completely but i totally recommend the hot fudge for needed richness ^^ very simple to make - just throw everything into a pot until everything melts, the sauce thickens until it becomes smooth and shiny.

verdict omg when i took it out of the oven, i had the greatest satisfaction to see my souffle rise (albeit not as high as i expected it to). probably could have beaten the egg whites and yolks a lil longer to get more air into the batter.

i might have baked it a minute too long in the oven but i suppose that contributed to the crispy edges that contrasted the fluffiness inside with the lightness to its taste.. i have to admit though, it's not as satisyfing as the chocolate molten lava cake because it was somewhat lacking that richness.

however, that's the great thing about the hot fudge sauce on the side because you can choose how much fudge you'd want to indulge. so you can either feel good about yourself for not eating half a stick of butter (that was how much butter that went into each ramekin for chocolate molten lava cake) or..not...hahah.  btw, if you make your hot fudge sauce in advance, blitz it in the microwave or on the stove for a few minutes before serving.  sprinkle the top with powdered sugar to make it pretty and if like a lil extras, it pairs well with fresh fruits and/or vanilla icecream :)

yup, you know the drill :: the recipes are here if you'd like to test it out yourself :)

chocolate souffle
taken from foodnetwork.com kitchens

ingredients |

• 7 oz finely chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (i'd recommend at least 60% cacao)
• 4 tbs unsalted butter, plus for preparing the ramekins
• 1.5 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tbs warm water
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 2 tbs
• 8 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• confectioner's sugar for garnish

directions |

• brush 6 (6-oz) ramekins with soft butter, then coat with sugar. put the prepared ramekins in the freezer. (this can be done a day ahead)
• set an oven rack in lower third of the oven and preheat to 400 F
• put the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl. bring a saucepan filled with an inch of so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water (this is the set up for a double boiler). stir the chocolate occasionally until melted and smooth.
• remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. set aside
• combine the egg yolks and warm water in a bowl of a standing mixer or a large bowl and beat until frothy. gradually add 2 tbs sugar, and continue beating until ribbons form, about 5 minutes.
• very lightly fold the yolks into the chocolate mixture (rinse the bowl well, if using for beating the egg whites)
• remove the prepared ramekins from freezer
• put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer, or a large non-reactice bowl, add the lemon juice
• beat on medium until frothy; then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar and increase speed to high. beat until the whites hold a stiff but not dry peak
• working quickly, fold about a third of the egg whites into the chocolate to lighten then fold in the remaining whites until blended
• gently ladle or spoon the souffle mixture into the ramekins, and place on a baking sheet (level off the surface with a straight edge, scraping any excess mixture back into the bowl)
• immediately bake until the souffle rises about 1.5 inches from the ramekins, and the tops are touched with brown, about 18 to 20 minutes
• remove from oven, dust with confectioner's sugar and serve immediately

hot fudge sauce

taken from saveur's website

ingredients |

• 8 oz chopped, unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 8 tbs unsalted butter
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/3 cups water

directions |

• in a 2-qt saucepan, combine all ingredients. place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil
• cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and becomes smooth and shiny, about 10 minutes
• let cool slightly before serving, or transfer to a glass jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator for up to a week
• before serving, reheat the sauce in a saucepan over low heat or in a bowl in the microwave for about 30 second, as it will thicken when refrigerated.

disclaimer this is written based on my personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.