Ingredients

Method

Place the milk in a heavy based saucepan, split the vanilla bean in half lengthways and scrape the seeds into the milk together with the pod and bring to a simmer to infuse the milk with the vanilla.

In a clean bowl place 3 egg yolks , in a separate small bowl mix the sugar and flour , this helps to stop the flour from clumping up, and add it to the egg yolks and whisk together. the flour is the thickening agent and initially the mixture will seem rather thick but it is fine.

Remove the simmering milk from the stove and remove the vanilla pods and gradually add a little milk to the egg mixture whisking until it is smooth. Add the rest of the milk and whisk together. (this is called tempering). Pour the custard mixture back into the saucepan and put back on the stove to cook for 1-2 minutes until the custard is thick and glossy.

Add the slightly warm melted chocolate to your custard base and mix together. It will seem thick but we will lighten it when it has fully cooled with the egg whites. Place it back into a clean bowl and cover the mixture with some cling film, directly on top of the mixture so that it doesn’t form a skin. Allow the mixture to cool completely which should take about an hour.

Whilst waiting for the mixture to cool completely you can prepare the ramekins. Butter the ramekins with softened butter with a pastry brush using upwards strokes from the base upwards. This helps the souffle rise up the dish.Sprinkle some castor sugar into the ramekins and coat the inside of the ramekins. These are ready for the mixture now.

Preheat your oven to 200ºC / 400º F

Make sure your bowl in your stand mixer and whisk are extremely clean as if there is any traces of grease at all it will stop the egg whites from getting to a full volume. In the stand mixer place 5 egg whites and start mixing firstly on a slow speed and then add a pinch of cream of tarter. Continue to mix slowly to create large bubbles in the egg white mixture and gradually increase the speed to medium and you will then have reached soft peak stage and the mixture will be very white. You can now add two tablespoons of castor sugar very slowly. This is what turns the mixture into a meringue. Increase the speed to high and whisk until you have stiff peaks. It will be glossy and stand upright when the whisk it taken out of the bowl.

We now need to incorporate this into the chocolate mixture so take a 1/3 of the meringue mixture and stir it into the chocolate base, you don’t have to be too careful on this addition but once its all combined you need to add the rest of the meringue mixture very gently so you don't knock all the air out of the meringue.

Take your ramekins and fill with the chocolate soufflé mixture. Run your thumb or a knife around the edge of the ramekin to create a channel between the batter and the rim of the dish. This forces the soufflé to rise up not out. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and place in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 375ºF or 190ºC and bake for 13-14 minutes. The edges should be set and the centre wobbles very slightly. Serve immediately.

Variations of Souffle flavourings:

Lemon Souffle 2 Teaspoons of Lemon Zest and 65ml Lemon Juice

Tangerine or Orange Souffle 2 Teaspoons of Tangerine Zest and 65ml Tangerine Juice

Passion Fruit Souffle 80ml Passion Fruit Puree