Bittersweet Cocoa Soufflé with Orange Blossom Cream

From the kitchen of Carly

Deep cocoa richness rises into clouds of air in these individual soufflés. Bittersweet chocolate grounds the sweetness while orange blossom cream cuts through with bright, floral notes. Light enough to float off the plate, decadent enough to satisfy.

Bittersweet Cocoa Soufflé with Orange Blossom Cream

A soufflé that actually stays risen. The trick is a thick cocoa paste base that anchors the egg whites, keeping them stable enough to hold their structure through baking. Bittersweet chocolate folded in at the last moment melts just enough to deepen flavor without weighing down the rise. Orange blossom cream cuts the richness with bright, floral precision.

Prep
n/a
Cook
n/a
Total
n/a
Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1/2 cupplus 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tbspall purpose flour
  • 2/3 cupplus 2 tablespoons whole milk
  • 1/2 cupatural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 largeegg yolks
  • 1 tspvanilla extract
  • 4 largeegg whites
  • 1/8 tspcream of tartar
  • 3 ozbittersweet chocolate , finely chopped
  • 1Orange Blossom Cream
  • 8 2/3-to 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups

Instructions

  1. Butter all eight ramekins or custard cups, then dust them with sugar, coating the insides completely up to the top edge. In a small saucepan, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar, the flour, and a scant 1/8 teaspoon salt. Pour 2/3 cup milk into a measuring cup, then whisk 2 to 3 tablespoons of it into the saucepan to form a thick paste before gradually whisking in the rest. Set the pan over medium-low heat and stir until bubbles begin to form around the edges, then keep stirring constantly for about 2 minutes longer until the mixture thickens slightly. Scrape it into a large bowl and stir in the cocoa powder, the remaining 2 tablespoons milk, the egg yolks, and vanilla until you have a smooth, thick paste. In a separate medium bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, then gradually beat in the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar on high speed until firm peaks hold. Fold a quarter of the whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then add the rest of the whites along with the chopped chocolate and fold until everything is just combined, with no streaks of white remaining.

  2. Spoon the batter evenly among the prepared ramekins and set them on a rimmed baking sheet. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

  3. Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and heat it to 375°F. Slide the baking sheet in and bake the soufflés until they have puffed above the rim and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with thick batter clinging to it, about 12 minutes (or 15 minutes if the soufflés were chilled). Press a small indentation into the top of each one with a spoon, drop a dollop of Orange Blossom Cream into each hollow, and bring them to the table right away.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Dust ramekins all the way to the top edge with sugar, no bare spots, or the soufflé will stick and collapse unevenly as it climbs. Use a bench scraper or small spoon to coat the rim carefully.
  • Make the chocolate paste base while it's still warm; cold paste resists folding and bruises the egg whites. You want it cool enough to touch, not hot.
  • Fold the chocolate and whites together gently but decisively. Two or three folds to fully blend is enough. Stop when you don't see streaks of white anymore, don't keep stirring.
  • Chilled soufflés bake 3 minutes longer than room-temperature ones. Plan ahead and bake from the fridge if your timing works better, but don't skip the bottom-third oven rack placement.

Variations

  • Skip orange blossom cream and top with whipped cream spiked with cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne for warmth instead.
  • Brush the inside of ramekins with melted dark chocolate before dusting with sugar, then proceed as written. The chocolate sets thin and adds richness to each bite.
  • Make four larger soufflés in 1-cup ramekins instead. Increase baking time to 14 to 16 minutes, watching for the same signs of doneness.
  • Swap half the cocoa powder for ground espresso, whisk it into the paste as usual, and skip the orange blossom cream in favor of vanilla whipped cream.

Make ahead and storage

Soufflés are eaten straight from the oven and don't keep. Make the chocolate paste base up to one day ahead, covered and chilled, then fold in whites and bake when ready to serve.