Monday, March 16, 2009

Chocolate Chip Souffle

I tried really hard to think of a good anecdote to go with this post, but I got nothin' for ya. I'm really blocked right now. Feeling stifled, I guess. Nothing particularly inspiring has come my way recently. At least nothing I've noticed. That is, perhaps, the problem. I'm usually so anxious for spring I start anticipating it in January. But these last couple months I haven't been jonesing for gardening, or the farmer's market, or sandals, or grape hyacinths. So please, leave me inspiring comments - something to help me get my groove back :)

Chocolate Chip Souffle

45 g butter
55 g
200 g whole milk
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites
1 t vanilla
1 T cornstarch
45 g sugar
1/4 c chopped good quality chocolate

extra butter and sugar for coating

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the bread flour and cook for about 2 minutes to make a roux. Add the hot milk and whisk It will thicken to a paste. Transfer this mixture to a clean bowl. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, continue mixing the roux base to cool it down slightly before we add the egg yolks. When steam stops coming off but it is still warm, add the egg yolks one a time and mix.

In the meantime, start whipping the egg whites. When they are medium peaks, start adding the sugar slowly. Whip to stiff peaks.


Add the vanilla and cornstarch to the roux and egg yolk base. Fold in a third of the meringue to the base and mix to lighten it. Add the
chocolate and the rest of the meringue and fold gently.

Brush inside of ramekins with room temperature butter and coat the sides with sugar. Fill the ramekins with souffle base almost to the top.

Bake at 400F for about 15 minutes depending on the size of the ramekin.

5 comments:

apparentlyjessy said...

I love the look of your soufflé, the photos are great, good lighting and love the positioning.
To be honest I am scared of soufflé, I think its because its the dish that always fails in the movies...so good on you for nailing it!
You will get your grove back eventually, something will inspire you and it will be back for sure! :)

Anonymous said...

This looks so delectable! And you're photography is wonderful! Great job all the way around. I can't wait to try it someday!

laurel said...

That looks delicious! Yum, I may have to try that this weekend.
Inspiration: COLOR!!! I love color. It always makes me feel happy. So look at your recipes that you want to do and pick the most colorful one. Buy fruit and make one of those french tarts with the geometric design; make a berry cobbler with bright red gooey yummy goodness; bake a red velvet cake and frost it with a different bright color; go back to the old 50's cookbooks and make a wonderfully tacky jello-mold thing; make mini watermelons (http://chocolateonmycranium.blogspot.com/2009/03/petite-watermelons.html)!; do something bursting with citrus flavor to remind you of the sun and the summer; (is this helping at all?); go back and watch your favorite old black and white movies for inspiration; make an old favorite and ask your grandma for a family recipe that you remember from when you were a little tot; go international and make some fabulous exotic desert...I could go on, really I could!

WonderKitty said...

That looks so good! I have never had a souffle before, but I think this one would be a good one to start with!

I am actually excited for the farmers market this year, I have not gone more that one time in the past, so I am hoping to go at least twice a month this summer. Want to come with me?

farmhouse wares said...

Not jonesing for gardening? Just think:

Being able to make dinner with ingredients from your own backyard.

Vases of fresh flowers by the bed.

Walking barefoot in the cool grass.

Watching the perennials poke their heads up from the soil.

Fresh produce brimming from baskets at the farmers' maket.

I'm jonesing--big time.