Chocolate Sunken Soufflé Cake Food

CHOCOLATE SOUFFLé CAKE WITH ORANGE CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Put a small roasting pan filled halfway with hot water in bottom third of oven (to provide moisture during baking), then preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan and line bottom with a round of parchment or wax paper. Butter paper.
• Melt butter and chocolate together in a heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring, then remove from heat. Beat together yolks, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer until thick and pale, and ribbons form when beater is lifted, about 6 minutes. Beat whites at medium speed with cleaned beaters in another large bowl until they just hold soft peaks. Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar, beating until whites just hold stiff peaks. Stir warm chocolate mixture into yolk mixture until combined well. Stir one fourth of egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining egg whites gently but thoroughly.
• Pour batter into springform pan and bake in middle of oven (do not place springform pan in pan of hot water) until a tester inserted in center comes out with crumbs adhering, about 1 hour (a crust will form and crack on top of cake as it bakes). Transfer to a rack and cool 10 minutes (cake will "deflate" as it cools). Run a thin knife carefully around edge of cake, then remove side of pan. Cool cake on bottom of pan 30 minutes, then invert onto another rack or plate. Remove bottom of pan, then carefully peel off parchment. Invert cake onto a serving plate.
• Make sauce while cake bakes:
• Remove zest from 2 oranges and trim any white pith from zest. Cut zest into enough very thin strips to measure 1/4 cup. Squeeze juice from 3 oranges and strain through a fine sieve. Measure out 1 cup juice.
• Cook remaining 1/2 cup sugar in a dry heavy saucepan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar is melted into a deep golden caramel. Add zest and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Tilt pan and carefully pour in juice (caramel will harden and steam vigorously). Cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until caramel is dissolved, then cool sauce.
• Serve cake with orange sauce.

CHOCOLATE-CHUNK SOUFFLé CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour eight 3/4-cup soufflé dishes. Stir 8 ounces chopped chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Pour into large bowl. Whisk in yolks. Set chocolate mixture aside.
• Stir sugar and water in heavy small saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil without stirring until candy thermometer registers 236°F swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat egg whites in another large bowl to soft peaks.
• Gradually beat boiling syrup into whites in slow steady stream. Continue beating until stiff, about 3 minutes. Fold whites into chocolate mixture in 3 additions. Divide soufflé mixture among prepared dishes. Place 1 chocolate chunk in center of each, pressing to submerge. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)
• Bake soufflés until slightly puffed and softly set, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

HOT CHOCOLATE SOUFFLéS WITH CHOCOLATE CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7 and place a baking tray on the top shelf. For the sauce, heat the cream and sugar until boiling. Remove from the heat, stir in the chocolate and butter until melted, then keep warm.
• Brush 6 x 150ml ramekins with melted butter, sprinkle with the 2 tbsp caster sugar, then tip out any excess. Melt the chocolate and cream in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, cool, then mix in the egg yolks. Whisk the egg whites until they hold their shape, then add the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, whisking back to the same consistency. Mix a spoonful into the chocolate, then gently fold in the rest.
• Working quickly, fill the ramekins, wipe the rims clean and run your thumb around the edges. Turn oven down to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6, place the ramekins onto the baking tray, then bake for 8-10 mins until risen with a slight wobble. Don't open the oven door too early as this may make them collapse.
• Once the soufflés are ready, dust with icing sugar, scoop a small hole from their tops, then pour in some of the hot chocolate sauce. Replace the lids and serve straight away.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE SOUFFLé CAKES

Steps:

• Butter six 4 1/2-inch-diameter tartlet pans with 3/4-inch-high sides and removable bottoms. Place tartlet pans on baking sheet. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add espresso powder and salt; stir to blend well. Cool to lukewarm, stirring occasionally.
• Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks, all but 1 tablespoon sugar, vanilla and cinnamon in large bowl until mixture is pale yellow and thick, about 5 minutes. Fold 1/4 of egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Fold chocolate mixture into remaining egg mixture.
• Beat egg whites in another large bowl until soft peaks form. Add 1 tablespoon sugar; beat just until firm peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Divide batter among prepared pans. Cover; chill at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours.
• Beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. (Whipped cream can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Bake cakes until edges are set and centers are still soft, about 11 minutes. Cool on racks 2 minutes. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cakes. Remove pan sides. Transfer cakes to plates.
• Top each cake with dollop of whipped cream. Garnish with raspberries and mint, if desired. Serve cakes warm.

CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-by-2-inch round cake pan and line with a circle of parchment paper.
• Put chocolate, butter, orange zest, vanilla and almonds in top of double boiler. Melt over hot water, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat as soon as chocolate is melted.
• Beat the egg yolks with half the sugar (in electric mixer, if desired) until mixture is thick and a slowly dissolving ribbon drops from a lifted beater. Fold lukewarm chocolate mixture into egg-sugar mixture with a large rubber spatula. Whip egg whites until foamy, then gradually add remaining sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form. Using rubber spatula, blend lightly but thoroughly into chocolate-egg mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
• Remove cake from oven and loosen sides with a sharp knife. Unmold onto a wire rack, then quickly and carefully reverse onto a second rack so that the cake is the right side up. The cake will sink slightly. Let cool.
• To make Creme Anglais, whisk egg yolks and sugar together, or beat in an electric mixer, until thick and lemon colored. Mix cornstarch with a little cold milk and add to rest of milk. Scald milk and pour over yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour custard into a heavy pan, preferably of tin-lined copper. Avoid using a plain aluminum pan, which discolors sauce.
• Stir with a wooden spoon over low to medium heat until custard starts to coat spoon and reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit on a candy thermometer. Do not cook over too high a heat, or the eggs will curdle.
• Strain into a clean dry bowl and stir in vanilla. Let cool, stirring occasionally to prevent skin from forming. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Makes 6 cups.
• Before serving, sprinkle the cake with sifted powdered sugar. If you wish, cut a large Christmas star of light cardboard and lay on top of the cake before dusting with sugar. Carefully remove the star, and the pattern will remain. Serve wedges of cake on dessert plates on a pool of Creme Anglais.

CHOCOLATE FALLEN SOUFFLé CAKE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with a round of parchment or wax paper, then butter paper.
• Melt chocolate and butter in a large metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (or in a microwave-safe large glass or ceramic bowl in a microwave at 50 percent power for 4 to 5 minutes), stirring frequently, then cool completely. Whisk in vanilla, salt, and 6 tablespoons sugar. Add yolks 1 at a time, whisking well after each addition. Whisk in flour.
• Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks, then add remaining 6 tablespoons sugar a little at a time, beating, and continue to beat until whites hold stiff glossy peaks.
• Whisk about one fourth of whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Pour batter into springform pan, spreading evenly.
• Bake until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs adhering, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Cool cake in pan on a rack 10 minutes. Remove side of pan and cool cake completely. Invert cake onto rack and remove bottom of pan, discarding paper, then invert cake onto a plate.

CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 300 degrees. Grease a 10-inch springform pan with 1 tablespoon butter, and dust generously with granulated sugar.
• Melt chocolate and butter over simmering water in a double boiler, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip yolks and whole egg with 2/3 cup sugar on a high speed, until it is pale yellow and falls in a thick ribbon when the beater is raised, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice during mixing. Set aside.
• In an electric mixer, using a second whisk attachment and bowl, (both should be clean and free of grease) whip egg whites with remaining 1/3 cup sugar on high speed until thick and foamy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside. While egg whites are beating, add the cooled, melted chocolate slowly to the yolk mixture.
• Temper whipped egg whites by mixing in about 1/4 cup of the chocolate mixture. Then gently fold egg whites into the chocolate yolk mixture, working quickly to maintain the volume of egg whites; the mixture will have a slightly marbleized appearance.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in oven for 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan on a cooling rack. When completely cool, gently run a knife around the edges of the pan and release spring. Dust with cocoa powder or confectioners' sugar before serving.