Chocolate Soufflé Crème Anglaise (Printable)
Airy chocolate soufflé combined with smooth vanilla crème anglaise for a classic French dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Chocolate Soufflé
01 - 4.2 ounces dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa), chopped
02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for ramekins
03 - 3 large eggs, separated
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
06 - 1/8 teaspoon salt
07 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
08 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for dusting ramekins
→ For the Crème Anglaise
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
11 - 1/2 vanilla bean or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
12 - 3 large egg yolks
13 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously butter four 7-ounce ramekins and dust with sugar, tapping out any excess. Set aside.
02 - Set up a double boiler with a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water. Add chopped chocolate and butter, stirring until completely smooth and melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, 1/4 cup sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture and flour until fully incorporated.
04 - Using a clean, dry bowl and electric beaters, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar while continuing to beat until stiff, glossy peaks form.
05 - Gently fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate base to lighten. Carefully fold in remaining whites, maintaining as much air as possible. Divide batter among prepared ramekins, smoothing tops. Run thumb around inside rim of each ramekin to ensure even rising.
06 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until soufflés have risen well and center shows a slight wobble. Do not open oven door during baking.
07 - While soufflés bake, combine milk, heavy cream, and split vanilla bean in a saucepan. Heat over medium until just below simmering. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks with 1/4 cup sugar until pale and thick.
08 - Slowly pour hot milk mixture into yolks while whisking constantly. Return mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, until thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon. Do not boil. Strain into a clean bowl and remove vanilla bean if used.
09 - Remove soufflés from oven and serve at once. Pour warm crème anglaise over individual soufflés or serve alongside in a small pitcher.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The texture is impossibly light yet deeply rich, like eating chocolate air that somehow satisfies completely.
- The moment you break through that caramelized crust and find the molten center inside is worth every careful step.
- Soufflés have an undeserved reputation for difficulty, but this method makes them genuinely approachable.
02 -
- Egg whites demand absolute cleanliness in your bowl and beaters—even a tiny bit of fat will prevent proper volume.
- Opening the oven door before the soufflé has set will cause immediate collapse, so trust your timer.
- The thumb trick around the ramekin edge creates a path for the soufflé to climb upward instead of spreading out.
03 -
- If your soufflé begins to rise unevenly, rotate the ramekins halfway through baking for more uniform lift.
- Warm your serving bowls before plating—the crème anglaise stays fluid longer this way.