Chocolate and Salted Caramel Soufflés

I made these soufflés last night for no particular reason other than I felt like it.

As you can see from the picture, they weren't the most aesthetically perfect soufflés ever made. They were quite delicious though.

I adapted the recipe slightly from David Lebovitz by salting the caramel, which you can easily omit if you're not a fan of the salty/sweet contrast.

The soufflés are made in two parts, first a caramel pastry cream and then the soufflé mix. You can easily make the pastry cream a day or two in advance and refrigerate until you are ready to use it.

Continue reading for recipe!

Makes 4

Ingredients:

• 100g caster sugar
• 250ml whole milk
• 25g plain flour
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt

• 4 egg whites, at room temperature
• 30g caster sugar
• 60g dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks

To make the pastry cream, spread the 100g sugar evenly in a medium-sized saucepan and cook over a medium heat. When the sugar begins to melt around the edges, drag to the centre with a heatproof utensil and stir gently until all the sugar is liquified. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the caramel turns darker and begins to foam up a little bit.

Remove from the heat and gradually mix in the milk. This will cause the caramel to bubble up, keep stirring until it subsides and the milk is incorporated into the caramel. Sift in the flour, you may have to whisk this a bit if it becomes lumpy. Cook over a medium heat until the whole mixture has thickened up a bit.

Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl and then whisk in a small amount of the caramel mixture. Now scrape in this mixture to the saucepan and bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook until thickened to the consistency of mayonnaise. Finally, whisk in the salt and vanilla and leave to cool completely.

Preheat the oven to 200C and butter four ramekins or soufflé moulds. Set on a baking tray.

Whisk the egg whites on a low speed until they become frothy. Increase the speed to high and add in the 30g sugar until the whites form stiff peaks. 

Fold about a quarter of the eggs whites into the pastry cream to loosen the mixture a bit. Now fold in the chocolate chunks. Now carefully fold in the remaining egg whites, being careful not to knock the air out of them.

Divide the mixture evenly amongst the prepared ramekins, filling them to just below the rims. Bake in the preheated oven until they are well risen and the tops have browned, about 10-15 minutes. Serve right away, dusted with icing sugar, if you wish.