Editor's note:This recipe is excerpted from Maguy Le Coze and Eric Ripert's book theLe Bernardin Cookbook.
To read more about Ripert,click here.
Eric: We used to have a captain who would sell this cake to our female clientele by saying it was like the heart of a man: hard on the outside and meltingly soft on the inside.
Ingredients
Makes 8 servings
Special Equipment
Step 1
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a pan of water barely to a simmer. Place the chocolate and butter in a double boiler or metal mixing bowl and place over the pan of hot but not simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has melted but is not too hot. Stir until smooth.
Step 2
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar together until thickened slightly and lighter in color. Whisk in the flour and then the chocolate mixture.
Step 3
3. Place the egg whites in a metal bowl and place over hot water until warmed slightly. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and whip with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1 1/2 tablespoons more sugar. Turn the speed to high and add the last 1/2 tablespoon of sugar, whipping the whites to firm peaks.
Step 4
4. Stir a third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Fold in the remaining whites. Divide the batter among the tins.(The recipe can be made to this point up to 1 1/2 hours before serving; refrigerate).
Step 5
5. Place the tins on a baking sheet and bake until the tops are puffed and feel firm to the touch but are very liquidy in the center, about 8 minutes (or a few minutes longer if they were cold).
Step 6
6. Meanwhile, sift a little cocoa lightly over 8 dessert plates. Three minutes after the cakes are done, run the tip of a knife around the sides to loosen, and unmold the cakes onto the plates, rinsing the knife with hot water between each one. Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream or chocolate sorbet.
Leave a Review
Reviews (11)
Back to TopThis is an amazing dessert and not difficult to make either. I made it for our friends tonight and they were impressed. We are big L' Auberge Chez Francois fans and this chocolate souffle is very comparable to what is served there. Without a doubt, I will be making this again!
kvandyke1
Washington, DC
2/25/2012
These were really great - very chocolate-y but not too sweet. Served with burnt caramel ice cream.
linz711
Cambridge, MA
5/12/2010
WOW! These are delicious. I was a little hesitant making them because I had heard horror stories of souffle's, but these were really easy and DELICIOUS! I couldn't find the aluminum tins, so I made them in ramikins. Tasted amazing. Only thing was that they required a little extra time in the oven because I had refrigerated the mix ahead of time. A little too gooey on the first round, but the second round was perfect!
Anonymous
Los Angeles, CA
3/29/2010
Wonderful dessert for Valentine's Day. Served with strawberries and vanilla ice cream and it was fabulous. Also used disposable pot pie tins (!!!) and they were fine except I think the servings could have been about half as big. I think I would try disposable muffin tins next time.
Anonymous
Wichita KS
2/14/2009
Oh Wow! When I go out to dinner, that's my favourite dessert! I would call it more of a chocolate eruption cake than a souffle, but it was absolutely DEEEEEEELICIOUS!
Khruishi
St. John's NL
2/13/2009
Has anyone used muffin tins, which are 3.5 oz, at a shorter baking time? I don't have time to hunt for anything else!
Anonymous
2/6/2009
I used aluminum "pot pie pans" that came in a package of 9 for $1.89. The batter ended up only filling 6 of them however, but they still turned out amazing!
natelewis
Kansas City, MO
2/15/2008
I used 8oz mini souffle dishes and served in the dish with a big strawberry on the side. Used Scharffenberger 70% and they were AMAZING.
jmgolda
Sunnyvale, CA
2/14/2008
Question: what did you use for the 6-oz aluminum tins??
Anonymous
2/2/2008
OH WOW! This is amazing. I love chocolate - the darker the better - but my husband doesn't care for sweets. I made this for NYE. I did the full recipe and wound up with 8 ramekins and I think he ate 5 of them!!! (Not all that night...) I served it with a scoop of coffee ice cream. Will definitely do this again, probably for company and/or special nights.
mauravi
walnut creek, ca
1/4/2008
this is the best cake you will ever have, i am not a lover of chocolate cakes but this one is the best you'll ever taste. i used to work at Le Bernardin so every time it was someone's b-day in the office we all got to enjoy this cake, fantabuolous. i can't describe how good it is
Vannieny
Brooklyn, NY
11/23/2007
