Chocolate Soufflés

Instructions

1. 1. Butter the molds with room temperature butter and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Remove, butter a second time, and return to refrigerator.
2. 2. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
3. 3. In a medium saucepan, warm cream, butter, and vanilla over medium heat, stirring gently with a whisk until butter melts and cream lightly simmers. Remove from heat, add chocolate, stirring to submerge. Let sit 1 minute, then whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
4. 4. In stand mixer with whip attachment (or by hand), whip egg whites until they start to hold their shape. Whip in sugar until whites hold soft peaks.
5. 5. Add a golf ball-sized amount of egg whites to chocolate mixture, whisk until emulsified.
6. 6. Scrape chocolate mixture into beaten egg whites and fold until completely incorporated with no white streaks visible.
7. 7. Divide mixture into buttered ramekins, keeping rims clean.
8. 8. Set ramekins on baking sheet and bake until soufflés are fully risen but still jiggly when nudged. They should feel barely set when gently touched in center.
9. 9. Bake 8-10 minutes for smaller ramekins (½ cup), 11-12 minutes for larger ones (1 cup). Rely on visual and tactile cues rather than exact times.
10. Serve warm from oven, optionally dusted with powdered sugar, with vanilla ice cream or cold crème anglaise.