Thanks Steph! Ive been giving several themes a test drive. I do like this one. I hadnt noticed that the links werent on the front page, but it does look uncluttered, eh?
Just FYI – I quartered the recipe and baked in two ramekins for 28 min, which was too long. 23-25 minutes would have been enough. Also, you have probably 1-2 min of photo time before they begin to fall, so have your setup all, well, set up :) I’d also lower the amount of sugar and use a nice high quality bittersweet chocolate – let the chocolate shine through!
Great suggestions. I was wondering how to make enough for just two. Thanks!
They turn out better If you don’t even think (worry) when making them (trust me). It’s only when I pay attention to the tiniest detail that they fall…. :)
How long do you think in a standard 8-10 oz coffee cup?
I baked my 8 oz souffles (each was 1/8 recipe) for 23 minutes at 390.
i mine took a little over 15 minutes…but i like them a bit puddingy on the insides.
1/8 of the recipe! Nancy, you are killing me. I have a hard time cutting recipes in half. :) I majored english…this explains why I can spend so much time baking. :P
I would use a straight sided ramekin or teacup – shallower is better than taller, so that you have the chance for it to rise to the rim or over. I made a 1/4 recipe in two 8 oz ramekins. I baked them at 390 degrees for 23 minutes which was plenty. They rose nicely but did not crest the rim. I might consider using 6 oz, possibly with a parchment collar – love it when they rise above the baking dish. The great thing about single serving souffles is that there’s more of the sugar crust, which I thought was fantastic with the souffle. I’ll have the leftover one (which did fall a lot) with whipped cream. Souffles really aren’t that hard, Dorie’s instructions are very clear and have lots of tips.
i have never even tasted a souffle… i always find that a challenge, trying to make something that you have no idea what the end is supposed to be like. kinda like baking in the dark! lol
When you’re mixing the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture, it’s important to be gentle so they don’t deflate. However, if you mix too gently and the egg whites don’t get thoroughly blended into the batter, you might see little white puffs of egg white in the final baked souffle. Try to strike a balance, if possible.
Salted caramel would be pretty fantastic. You are giving me good ideas!
Thanks for your ideas! Since I posted my question I thought of a cocoa nib ice cream and also an olive oil ice cream I have been meaning to try. Stay tuned. I also really like the custard idea.
if you are doing individual ones, go to the top and level off…then wipe your finger on the top egde rim, just to make sure it’s clean (if you have any stuff stuck to the top rim, the souffle could get “stuck” there).
Just saw Steph’s reply; would follow her advice b/c I’m sure she’s made more than I have!
Nancy–I made two souffle’s in 10 oz ramekins. One with a parchment collar and the other without—to see the difference. The souffle with the collar turned out perfect. Texture and consistency was silky, not over or undercooked. Crispy outside. Didnt “fall” like the other did. Complete opposite of the uncollared souffle. Will definitely use the collar when I make again.
This will be my first recipe since being accepted. (I baked the brownies last week, before hearing from Laurie). Never tried a souffle but excited to give it a go. I made some Creme Anglaise to pour over the finished souffle. That turned out good. Fingers crossed the souffle turns out as well. :) Thanks for all the tips and suggestions posted here.
I made sure I bought whole milk for this recipe. Don’t know if it will make a difference or not. I never use whole milk, only skim. Now I’m wondering what to do with the rest of the whole milk! Did you try this with skim? How did it work?
Make your own ricotta cheese with that whole milk. All you need is lemon juice. I’m the same way–only keep skim milk. However, I do keep a small carton of whip cream also (lasts a very long time). Anytime I feel like I have to have whole milk for a recipe, I add some whipping cream to my skim milk.
Renee – I just use a can of evaporated milk in place of whole milk. Nothing to refrigerate (beforehand) – and they come in the 5 oz. and also the standard, larger can if you need more. It’s worked great in cupcakes, cakes, etc… I just keep a stash of cans in my pantry. Now… what to do with the remainder…. that’s the mystery. :)
I really want to make this bc I’ve never made (or eaten) a souffle before, except this is my only day off before Tuesday and I’m in the mood for mini cupcakes. Damn night shifts lol Maybe I’ll find a way to sneak it in tonight.
I’m debating doing this recipe and using ramekins, though mine are quite small. I have six two ounce and four three ounce ramekins… I may just skip this one and do the cottage cheese pufflets week instead (there’s only one of me, so I’m only doing the minimum number of challenges in order not to have to throw food away!)
I tried this tonight. Baked some in a casserole dish and the rest in two coffee cups. The coffee cups turned out great, nice rise, great crust. The one in the dish was a flop…hardly any rise and the top was almost smooth, not bumpy or crusty like the ones in the coffee cups. Looking closer at casserole dish there appears to be a slight slant to sides…would that have cause the souffle not to rise? Or maybe too much butter on dish? Help!
Mine are in the oven right now…individuals. Glad I have all of you ladies (and gents) on here that know more than I do. I just realized I forgot the powdered sugar on top. Cross your fingers, I hope this works. I am afraid I will have white puffs in my final product.
I’m worried too. I didn’t want to over fold my mixture so there are little pockets of egg whites throughout my mixture. How did yours turn out? Mine is in the oven now.
I have about 30 minutes to go.
I baked mine last night in 3.5 ” ramekins, filled nearly to the top. They puffed up perfectly. The difficult part was getting a photo in the evening without a flash and still serving to my guests. I do not have a sophisticated photo set up. The souffle was delicious and the recipe is easy to prepare. I remember making souffles many years ago with a paper or tin foil collar, (revealing my age – oops – no, cooking experience) but these were nearly as impressive. It was great fun to again prepare a classic. Enjoy and be proud of your endeavor.
This is my first recipe since joining the group. My souffle is in the oven now. I am a bit concerned as it is a very humid day. I am very anxious to see how it will turn out. It’s also hard for me not to open the oven door to peek at it. Wish me luck!
I halved the recipe and used a variety of “vessels”, knowing that I’m not going to be eating all 4 of these. Everything from a ramekin, a couple of small tin jell-o/custard molds, and my grandma’s glass pyrex custard cup. Science 101. The batter was tasty! Trying Nancy’s suggestion of 390 at 23 minutes. I’m having more fun making the dough/filling for the Flakey Apple Turnovers – it’s great that these can be made ahead of time and frozen, then baked.
Ok, that was just about the quickest photo session ever. By the time I took them out of the oven, sprinkled powdered sugar, and got my camera, the beautiful, puffy tops were concave. They looked like little chef hats. Cute, but not exactly perfect. I’m onto an apple turnover now… enough with these already… :)
I just took mine out- I made 1/4 of the recipe (thanks to Nancy for sharing her measurements) but used 2 whole egg whites. I used 2 8-ramekins and skim milk. Mine puffed up but I think I did something wrong or maybe they got stuck on the sides, because they puffed in the middle and cracked on top. I also used semi-sweet chocolate because it was all I had!
Don’t know how they taste yet
I just took mine out of the oven. Baked the full recipe in 6 7oz. ramekins. Followed the tips here and baked them for 23 minutes at 390 degrees. They turned out much better than my first attempt. Nice rise, cracked crusty top, very pretty. Not much time to take pictures though. Luckily I had everything set up and ready to go when they came out of the oven.
I just served my daughter and 6 of her friends these little souffles (reminiscent of flourless chocolate cakes) tonight. I think it was college kids friendly enough. Worked out great in 8oz ramekins. Puffed nicely of course they didn’t last long now did they? he he When I asked if it was the only remark, and it was from a girl, mind you was that “it was intense, but good.” I didn’t even bring out my 70% stuff this was just Callebaut 60%. he he Oh well. I think I could have taken them out of the oven a little sooner than the 20 min but I was trying to buy a little time until they arrived. So they probably stayed about 23ish. I would have liked them to be a little more on the under side of the 23. I’ll make them again tomorrow so that I can take photos. he he They are that simple folks. You don’t have to be afraid.
AmyRuth
Well crap. I decided to go ahead and make this tonight, even though it’s getting late. Everything seemed to be going well, I used 8 ramekins, but the batter only filled 7. I thought that was a little odd, but pressed on.
Then as I was cleaning up the dishes, pleased with myself that the souffles were in the oven and baking, I realized that my egg yolks were still sitting in the bowl on the counter, I completely forgot to whisk them in!
UGH
Oh well. Poop. I’m leaving them in the oven just for fun LMAO and I’ll take pics of those and slap a big FAIL across the front.
hey laurie–this blog layout is really nice! very clean and i like the list of bakers being it’s own separate page rather than in sidebar.
about souffle–i’m most nervous about getting a good photo..no making in advance with this one!
Thanks Steph! Ive been giving several themes a test drive. I do like this one. I hadnt noticed that the links werent on the front page, but it does look uncluttered, eh?
I am terrified of souffle. Totally and completely intimidated.
Just FYI – I quartered the recipe and baked in two ramekins for 28 min, which was too long. 23-25 minutes would have been enough. Also, you have probably 1-2 min of photo time before they begin to fall, so have your setup all, well, set up :) I’d also lower the amount of sugar and use a nice high quality bittersweet chocolate – let the chocolate shine through!
i halved it and got three good sized individulas. i think mine took a little over 15 minutes. i agree that less sugar would have been good.
Great suggestions. I was wondering how to make enough for just two. Thanks!
They turn out better If you don’t even think (worry) when making them (trust me). It’s only when I pay attention to the tiniest detail that they fall…. :)
haha–that is so very true!
I’m so excited (and nervous) to make this! Thanks Caitlin for the heads up about taking pictures/ serving.
What to do if you don’t have a souffle dish?
make individual ones in coffee cups or ramekins. they will take far less time to bake than the big one.
This was the problem I had, I didn’t think about it cooking less time and left it in for the 40 minutes and it got a little burnt.
Just wanting to keep an eye on comments/suggestions…….. this ought to be fun!
I dont own any ramekins. I know, I know. Im such a loser. haha
Think I can use a coffee mug???
yes, that should work fine.
How long do you think in a standard 8-10 oz coffee cup?
I baked my 8 oz souffles (each was 1/8 recipe) for 23 minutes at 390.
i mine took a little over 15 minutes…but i like them a bit puddingy on the insides.
1/8 of the recipe! Nancy, you are killing me. I have a hard time cutting recipes in half. :) I majored english…this explains why I can spend so much time baking. :P
I think coffee mugs should be fine. Try to use straight sided ones.
I would use a straight sided ramekin or teacup – shallower is better than taller, so that you have the chance for it to rise to the rim or over. I made a 1/4 recipe in two 8 oz ramekins. I baked them at 390 degrees for 23 minutes which was plenty. They rose nicely but did not crest the rim. I might consider using 6 oz, possibly with a parchment collar – love it when they rise above the baking dish. The great thing about single serving souffles is that there’s more of the sugar crust, which I thought was fantastic with the souffle. I’ll have the leftover one (which did fall a lot) with whipped cream. Souffles really aren’t that hard, Dorie’s instructions are very clear and have lots of tips.
Oh yes, that was the best part about the smaller ones – the crispy bits around the edge. Yum!
subbing
Ooh, thanks all, just wanted to check to see if ramekins work. I realize souffles are eggy, but does it taste EGGY, or does the chocolate shine?
Hey Katrina, no worries – these don’t taste eggy at all. Definitely 100% chocolate.
i have never even tasted a souffle… i always find that a challenge, trying to make something that you have no idea what the end is supposed to be like. kinda like baking in the dark! lol
I’m REALLY hoping to get to this one, I’m a bit intimidated though!
When you’re mixing the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture, it’s important to be gentle so they don’t deflate. However, if you mix too gently and the egg whites don’t get thoroughly blended into the batter, you might see little white puffs of egg white in the final baked souffle. Try to strike a balance, if possible.
I guess I didn’t do so well on the mixing because I did have a few white spots. So afraid of smooshing all the air out of the mixture.
no ramekins. gotta go out and buy some. and eggs. i hope i don’t muck it up!! *crosses fingers*
World Market-Cost Plus sells cheapish souffle dishes different sizes.
I am interested in making this and serving with some kind of sauce. Any ideas?
an anglaise-style custard is good with this. vanilla, coffee, hazel…whatever flavor you like with chocolate. ice cream’s good too.
I read or watched something where they melted vanilla ice cream and then used that as a sauce. I just cant remember where I saw it.
I vote a creme anglaise – you’ll have leftover yolks, so why not? A salted caramel sauce would be pretty fantastic too.
Salted caramel would be pretty fantastic. You are giving me good ideas!
Thanks for your ideas! Since I posted my question I thought of a cocoa nib ice cream and also an olive oil ice cream I have been meaning to try. Stay tuned. I also really like the custard idea.
How full do you fill the ramekins?
if you are doing individual ones, go to the top and level off…then wipe your finger on the top egde rim, just to make sure it’s clean (if you have any stuff stuck to the top rim, the souffle could get “stuck” there).
i filled to top…you can see the rise here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/awhiskandaspoon/3884679718/
I’d readied 6 ramekins. They ended up 3/4 full. I hope they look half as good as yours.
Thanks for the tips!
If you make a parchment collar you can fill them most of the way. I filled mine about 3/4 full, they rose nearly to the top.
Just saw Steph’s reply; would follow her advice b/c I’m sure she’s made more than I have!
Nancy–I made two souffle’s in 10 oz ramekins. One with a parchment collar and the other without—to see the difference. The souffle with the collar turned out perfect. Texture and consistency was silky, not over or undercooked. Crispy outside. Didnt “fall” like the other did. Complete opposite of the uncollared souffle. Will definitely use the collar when I make again.
This will be my first recipe since being accepted. (I baked the brownies last week, before hearing from Laurie). Never tried a souffle but excited to give it a go. I made some Creme Anglaise to pour over the finished souffle. That turned out good. Fingers crossed the souffle turns out as well. :) Thanks for all the tips and suggestions posted here.
Does anyone know if the whole milk is important, can I use skim instead?
I made sure I bought whole milk for this recipe. Don’t know if it will make a difference or not. I never use whole milk, only skim. Now I’m wondering what to do with the rest of the whole milk! Did you try this with skim? How did it work?
Make your own ricotta cheese with that whole milk. All you need is lemon juice. I’m the same way–only keep skim milk. However, I do keep a small carton of whip cream also (lasts a very long time). Anytime I feel like I have to have whole milk for a recipe, I add some whipping cream to my skim milk.
Renee – I just use a can of evaporated milk in place of whole milk. Nothing to refrigerate (beforehand) – and they come in the 5 oz. and also the standard, larger can if you need more. It’s worked great in cupcakes, cakes, etc… I just keep a stash of cans in my pantry. Now… what to do with the remainder…. that’s the mystery. :)
I really want to make this bc I’ve never made (or eaten) a souffle before, except this is my only day off before Tuesday and I’m in the mood for mini cupcakes. Damn night shifts lol Maybe I’ll find a way to sneak it in tonight.
I’m debating doing this recipe and using ramekins, though mine are quite small. I have six two ounce and four three ounce ramekins… I may just skip this one and do the cottage cheese pufflets week instead (there’s only one of me, so I’m only doing the minimum number of challenges in order not to have to throw food away!)
I tried this tonight. Baked some in a casserole dish and the rest in two coffee cups. The coffee cups turned out great, nice rise, great crust. The one in the dish was a flop…hardly any rise and the top was almost smooth, not bumpy or crusty like the ones in the coffee cups. Looking closer at casserole dish there appears to be a slight slant to sides…would that have cause the souffle not to rise? Or maybe too much butter on dish? Help!
Mine are in the oven right now…individuals. Glad I have all of you ladies (and gents) on here that know more than I do. I just realized I forgot the powdered sugar on top. Cross your fingers, I hope this works. I am afraid I will have white puffs in my final product.
Hi Karen,
I’m worried too. I didn’t want to over fold my mixture so there are little pockets of egg whites throughout my mixture. How did yours turn out? Mine is in the oven now.
I have about 30 minutes to go.
I baked mine last night in 3.5 ” ramekins, filled nearly to the top. They puffed up perfectly. The difficult part was getting a photo in the evening without a flash and still serving to my guests. I do not have a sophisticated photo set up. The souffle was delicious and the recipe is easy to prepare. I remember making souffles many years ago with a paper or tin foil collar, (revealing my age – oops – no, cooking experience) but these were nearly as impressive. It was great fun to again prepare a classic. Enjoy and be proud of your endeavor.
This is my first recipe since joining the group. My souffle is in the oven now. I am a bit concerned as it is a very humid day. I am very anxious to see how it will turn out. It’s also hard for me not to open the oven door to peek at it. Wish me luck!
As long as a coffee cup states that it is microwave safe it should be oven safe as well, right?
Thanks. :)
I halved the recipe and used a variety of “vessels”, knowing that I’m not going to be eating all 4 of these. Everything from a ramekin, a couple of small tin jell-o/custard molds, and my grandma’s glass pyrex custard cup. Science 101. The batter was tasty! Trying Nancy’s suggestion of 390 at 23 minutes. I’m having more fun making the dough/filling for the Flakey Apple Turnovers – it’s great that these can be made ahead of time and frozen, then baked.
Ok, that was just about the quickest photo session ever. By the time I took them out of the oven, sprinkled powdered sugar, and got my camera, the beautiful, puffy tops were concave. They looked like little chef hats. Cute, but not exactly perfect. I’m onto an apple turnover now… enough with these already… :)
I couldn’t agree more about moving on to the next project. These are meant for eating–not taking pictures.
I just took mine out- I made 1/4 of the recipe (thanks to Nancy for sharing her measurements) but used 2 whole egg whites. I used 2 8-ramekins and skim milk. Mine puffed up but I think I did something wrong or maybe they got stuck on the sides, because they puffed in the middle and cracked on top. I also used semi-sweet chocolate because it was all I had!
Don’t know how they taste yet
I just took mine out of the oven. Baked the full recipe in 6 7oz. ramekins. Followed the tips here and baked them for 23 minutes at 390 degrees. They turned out much better than my first attempt. Nice rise, cracked crusty top, very pretty. Not much time to take pictures though. Luckily I had everything set up and ready to go when they came out of the oven.
I just served my daughter and 6 of her friends these little souffles (reminiscent of flourless chocolate cakes) tonight. I think it was college kids friendly enough. Worked out great in 8oz ramekins. Puffed nicely of course they didn’t last long now did they? he he When I asked if it was the only remark, and it was from a girl, mind you was that “it was intense, but good.” I didn’t even bring out my 70% stuff this was just Callebaut 60%. he he Oh well. I think I could have taken them out of the oven a little sooner than the 20 min but I was trying to buy a little time until they arrived. So they probably stayed about 23ish. I would have liked them to be a little more on the under side of the 23. I’ll make them again tomorrow so that I can take photos. he he They are that simple folks. You don’t have to be afraid.
AmyRuth
Well crap. I decided to go ahead and make this tonight, even though it’s getting late. Everything seemed to be going well, I used 8 ramekins, but the batter only filled 7. I thought that was a little odd, but pressed on.
Then as I was cleaning up the dishes, pleased with myself that the souffles were in the oven and baking, I realized that my egg yolks were still sitting in the bowl on the counter, I completely forgot to whisk them in!
UGH
Oh well. Poop. I’m leaving them in the oven just for fun LMAO and I’ll take pics of those and slap a big FAIL across the front.
bahahaha
Ok ya know what? Those were actually pretty good! Even without the yolks LOL!
Good for you, Amanda. I’ll never tell.
AmyRuth
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I halved the recipe and my souffle cracked, fell and sank! It tasted good, though…LOL
http://www.cafenilson.com/2009/09/chocolate-souffle/
I made this today, SO good!!! I had to scale mine back to a single serving but it still turned out wonderfully!