Hot Chocolate Whisky Soufflés with Chocolate Sauce

Ingredients

Melted butter, to grease

11/2 tablespoons caster sugar, to sprinkle

30g salted butter, diced

21/2 tablespoons plain flour

250ml (1 cup) milk

150g good-quality dark chocolate (45-54 per cent cocoa), chopped

2 tablespoons Scotch whisky

3 x 59g eggs, at room temperature, separated

150g (2⁄3 cup) caster sugar

2 egg whites (from 59g eggs), at room temperature

Cream or vanilla ice-cream, to serve

Chocolate Sauce

125g good-quality dark chocolate (54 per cent cocoa)

125ml (1⁄2 cup) pure cream

2 tablespoons golden syrup

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 30 minutes (+cooling time)

Baking time: 20-25 minutes

Method

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper. Brush eight 185ml (3⁄4 cup) soufflé dishes or ramekins (see Baker’s Tips) with melted butter to grease.

2. Use the 11⁄2 tablespoons of caster sugar to coat the insides of the dishes and then tap out any excess. Place on the lined tray.

3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute or until bubbling.

4. Use a small balloon whisk to gradually stir in the milk until smooth.

5. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a simmer. Simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat.

6. Add the chocolate to the custard and stir vigorously with the whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.

7. Stir in the whisky until well combined.

8. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, cover the surface of the custard with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooled to room temperature (see Baker’s Tips).

9. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whisk the egg yolks and half the caster sugar until thick and pale.

10. Gradually add to the cooled chocolate custard and use a spatula to stir to combine evenly.

11. Fold in the remaining egg yolk mixture.

12. Use a clean, dry whisk attachment and bowl to whisk the egg whites on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.

13. Add the remaining sugar and continue to whisk until the mixture is thick and glossy and the sugar has dissolved. Use a large metal spoon or spatula to fold half the egg whites into the chocolate custard to ‘loosen’ the mixture.

14. Fold in the remaining egg whites until just combined but no white streaks remain.

15. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dishes, dividing evenly.

16. Gently smooth the surface of each with the back of a metal spoon and then run your thumb around the edge of each between the mixture and the dish to create a small channel around the mixture.

17. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until well risen.

18. Meanwhile, to make the Chocolate Sauce, combine the chocolate, cream and golden syrup in a small saucepan. Stir frequently until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.

19. Serve the soufflés immediately topped with the warm chocolate sauce and a drizzle of cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Baker's Tips

The width and depth of the souffle dishes or ramekins you use can have an effect on how a souffle mixture will bake. The taller and/or narrower the dishes, the less mixture you will need in each for them to rise effectively. Also, if they are made from a good heat-conducting material, like ceramic ones, the souffles will rise more effectively. We used porcelain souffle dishes that were XXcm in diameter and XXcm deep for this recipe.

If you want to cool the custard mixture more quickly, place it in the fridge to cool, but only until it has cooled to room temperature.

Recipe brought to you by Anneka Manning of BakeClub and Neff