Chocolate Soufflé Recipe (2024)

Recipes
Recipes By Ingredients
Chocolate

Served à la minute, chocolate soufflé is the go-to classic dessert for chocolate lovers everywhere.

Lauren Weisenthal

Lauren Weisenthal was the author of the Pie of the Week and Sweet Technique columns for Serious Eats. From 2017–2021, she ran a restaurant called The Nightingale in Vinalhaven, Maine.

Learn about Serious Eats'Editorial Process

Updated January 12, 2024

WRITE A REVIEW

Why It Works

A dark chocolate ganache, deepened with the addition of unsweetened chocolate, makes a simple base that bakes up into a moist, not dry, soufflé.
The significant quantity of cocoa powder produces a soufflé base that’s stable enough to last overnight in the refrigerator before baking.

Chocolate soufflé has stood the test of time as a go-to for chocolate lovers everywhere. Light, airy, and served à la minute, this dramatic dessert, gluten-free and delightfully rich, rises up out of its ramekin in the oven and must be delivered promptly to the diner before it begins to shrink back into itself. While many soufflés are served with a sauce poured inside, this one stays moist enough on the inside that it's not entirely necessary. Crème anglaise, though, would make a great optional garnish for pouring into a small hole made in the center.

Unlike some sweet soufflés, this version doesn’t use pastry cream as its base. Instead, a deep chocolate ganache—made with three types of chocolate—produces a stable base with a pronounced and well-rounded chocolate flavor.

Making a successful soufflé is not nearly as difficult as it sounds, but it does require doing a few things properly. They include:

Liberally buttering and sugaring your ramekins. This includes the inner base and walls, all the way up to the top rim. First, slather the butter all over the inner surfaces, up to and including the top edge of each ramekin, then thoroughly coat the insides with sugar. This will ensure the soufflés rise up without any snags or cracks.
Making sure the bowl holding the ganache does not touch the simmering water below; success with the ganache hinges on it not getting too hot.
Not being shy about fully incorporating the egg whites. Thoroughly stirring in a quarter of the beaten egg whites first lightens the soufflé mixture and prepares it for the rest, which must be gently folded in until there are no visible whites left. Note that any pockets of unincorporated egg whites will rise more rapidly than the surrounding batter and cause cracking. So take your time and make sure all of the egg whites are completely incorporated.

This recipe was adapted from one of many featured in the curriculum of the French Culinary Institute.

January 2012

Recipe Details

Chocolate Soufflé Recipe

Prep15 mins

Cook25 mins

Active45 mins

Total40 mins

Serves8 soufflés

Ingredients

For the Ramekins:

Softened unsalted butter, for greasing the ramekins (approximately 3 tablespoons)
Granulated sugar, for coating ramekins (approximately 3 tablespoons)

For the Soufflés:

2 1/2 ounces (about 1/4 cup; 70g) heavy cream and/or whole milk
1 3/4 ounces 68-71%dark chocolate, chopped (about 1/3 cup; 50g)
1 3/4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (about 1/3 cup; 50g)
1 3/4 ounces (1/2 cup; 50g)Dutch process cocoa powder
3 1/2 ounces (scant 1/2 cup; 100g) water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Whites from 8 large eggs, straight from the fridge (8 3/4 ounces; 250g)
3 1/2 ounces (1/2 cup; 100g) granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C) with the convection fan turned off and oven rack in center position. Liberally butter the interiors of eight 4-ounce ramekins, making sure to butter right up to the upper edge of the rim of each ramekin. Sugar the buttered insides evenly, tapping out excess, and set ramekins aside.
Place 2 1/2 cups water in a 3-quart sauce pan on the stove over medium heat. In a large, heat-proof bowl that will sit comfortably on the pot without toppling over or touching the water below, combine cream and/or milk, dark chocolate, and unsweetened chocolate. Whisk gently until chocolate is melted, cream and/or milk are fully incorporated, and a smooth ganache has formed.
Turn off heat, then carefully whisk in cocoa powder, water, and vanilla extract until smooth. Leave bowl atop pot of hot water, off the heat, to keep the ganache warm.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat egg whites on high speed until they become foamy, about 20 seconds. Reduce mixer speed to medium and gradually add sugar and salt, then return to high speed and whisk the egg white mixture until firm, glossy, smooth peaks form, about 2 minutes.
Using a silicone spatula, stir about 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate ganache until thoroughly incorporated, to lighten it. Then gently but thoroughly fold in the remaining egg whites, taking care not to deflate the mixture, until no visible whites remain. As soon as there are no more unincorporated whites, spoon soufflé mixture into prepared ramekins just to the top, then even the tops with an offset spatula. (You may prepare soufflés up to this point, and bake later; see note.)
Evenly space ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the center of the oven for 12 minutes for soufflés that are wet on the inside, or 13 to 14 minutes for ones that are drier. The soufflés will have risen tall above the rims of the ramekins and look dry on top. Serve immediately.

Special Equipment

Eight 4-ounce ramekins, 3-quart stainless steel sauce pan, whisk, stand mixer, silicone spatula, offset spatula, rimmed baking sheet

Notes

To achieve the ideal level of richness, we prefer an equal mix of heavy cream and whole milk, but the recipe will work with one or the other (the richness will vary accordingly).

Make-Ahead and Storage

If you choose to prepare the soufflés in advance: After filling each prepared ramekin with the soufflé mixture, wrap each ramekin with plastic and refrigerate for up to one day. When ready, preheat the oven and bake the soufflés, straight from the fridge, for 15 minutes, then serve immediately.

Savory Cheese Soufflé Recipe
Extra Large, Cage-Free, and More: How to Shop for Eggs

Chocolate
Desserts

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
255	Calories
14g	Fat
26g	Carbs
6g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories	255
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 14g	18%
Saturated Fat 8g	41%
Cholesterol 22mg	7%
Sodium 176mg	8%
Total Carbohydrate 26g	10%
Dietary Fiber 3g	11%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 21mg	2%
Iron 4mg	23%
Potassium 158mg	3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good soufflé? ›

Ensure all your ingredients, especially the eggs, are at room temperature. Do not use cold eggs. Prepare and grease the soufflé dishes before you start making the soufflé mixture. Preheat the oven so once the soufflé is made and in the dish, it can go directly into the oven.

Keep Reading ›

What are 2 important steps to ensure a perfect soufflé? ›

According to La Varenne Practique (a timeless masterwork you should consider owning if learning more about classic French cooking appeals), there are only a few critical points to perfecting a souffle: a base of the right consistency, stiff egg whites, and the careful folding of the base and the beaten whites.

Get More Info Here ›

Why is soufflé so hard to make? ›

If the egg whites are not mixed enough, they will be too heavy to rise, but if they are over-whipped they will collapse in the oven. Finally, and most problematically, any cross-contamination between yolks and whites will cause the whole concoction to collapse, which is the bane of many dessert chefs' days.

See Details ›

Why did my chocolate souffle fall? ›

Why Did my Chocolate Soufflé Fall? Over-mixed + deflated batter: Slowly and gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture in 3 additions, always being careful to avoid over-mixing and excessive deflating.

Do you need flour for soufflé? ›

Savory soufflés usually incorporate cheese, vegetables, meat or seafood and are appropriate for a light dinner or lunch, or as a first course. They require a substantial and stable base, in the form of a cooked sauce that often involves butter, egg yolks and some kind of starch (flour, rice or cornstarch).

See Details ›

What ingredient makes a soufflé rise? ›

A soufflé is made up of a base (usually white sauce or creme patissiere enriched with egg yolks), a flavor (added to the base) and whipped egg whites gently folded in and baked in the oven. While it's cooking, the air trapped in the egg whites expands, causing it to rise.

Read The Full Story ›

Why does my soufflé taste eggy? ›

If your Soufflé Cake tastes eggy, it's either undercooked or overcooked. Make sure that you don't increase the temperature, this will also make the eggs rubbery and taste eggy. Stick to a low temperature.

Tell Me More ›

What is soufflé in English? ›

noun. souf·flé sü-ˈflā ˈsü-ˌflā : a dish that is made from a sauce, egg yolks, beaten egg whites, and a flavoring or purée (as of seafood, fruit, or vegetables) and baked until puffed up.

View Details ›

How long can a soufflé sit before baking? ›

Souffle may be made up ahead and refrigerated as long as 24 hours. Put souffle in cold oven and bake 50 minutes at 325 degrees. It can also be frozen up to 7 days. Allow 50 to 60 minutes to bake frozen at the same temperature.

Explore More ›

Why is my soufflé runny? ›

The hotter the oven, the more quickly and fully the soufflé will rise, and the faster it will brown and set on the outside. But the soufflé is also more likely to remain runny in the center, since it'd come close to burning on the outside if you were to leave it long enough to cook through to the center.

Show Me More ›

How far in advance can you make a soufflé? ›

You can make the soufflés up to this stage up to 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. When ready to serve, turn the soufflés out of their dishes, peel off the lining paper, then put them on a baking sheet lined with small squares of baking paper.

Why is my chocolate souffle not rising? ›

Give the oven plenty of time to get to 375 degrees and then always use an oven thermometer to double-check the temperature. If the temperature is too low, the souffle won't rise properly. If the temperature is too high, the souffle will rise just like a popover with big air pockets inside.

Find Out More ›

Are soufflés supposed to be runny? ›

Soufflés are best when they're still slightly runny in the centre. To check if a soufflé is set, gently tap the dish – it should wobble just a little bit. If the centre seems too fluid, cook for a few more minutes.

Learn More ›

What happens if you overcook a soufflé? ›

Soufflés that collapse quickly and easily are too dry. This happens when they are baked for too long and overcook.

Get More Info Here ›

What is a soufflé dish made of? ›

Soufflés are generally baked in ramekins or soufflé dishes: these are typically glazed, flat-bottomed, round porcelain containers with unglazed bottoms, vertical or nearly vertical sides and fluted exterior borders.

Tell Me More ›

What is Japanese soufflé made of? ›

Japanese soufflé pancakes start with the same ingredients as American varieties — namely, eggs, flour and milk — but they tower above traditional diner versions thanks to the addition of extra egg whites.

Find Out More ›

What are the three components of a soufflé? ›

Souffle Logic: A soufflé is made up of three elements: A base sauce enriched with egg yolks (pastry cream for sweet, béchamel for savory), a filling (anything from cheese to chocolate), and whipped egg whites.

What is Panera soufflé made of? ›

Deliciously crafted souffle made with our savory egg mixture, NeufchÃ¢tel, cheddar, Parmesan and romano cheeses.