Never-fail Chocolate Souffles

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup whipping cream or 1 cup evaporated skim milk
• 1 tablespoon kahlua
• 4 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375°f.
• 2 in a medium-sized bowl, combine cocoa and cornstarch thoroughly.
• 3 add a little of the cream and whisk to make a smooth paste.
• 4 whisk in remaining cream and the liqueur.
• 5 i have made this with kahlua, grand marnier, chambord and brandy-- they're all good.
• 6 if you use the evaporated milk instead of cream, expect the mixture to be pretty soupy.
• 7 in a large bowl, beat egg whites until almost stiff.
• 8 slowly beat in sugar and beat until stiff and glossy.
• 9 now gently whisk a quarter of the egg whites into the cocoa mixture.
• 10 gently fold in another quarter.
• 11 now add all this mixture into the remainder of the egg whites and gently fold until well blended.
• 12 spoon the souffle batter into 6-to-8 1/2-cup sized custard cups.
• 13 the volume you get will depend on how well you beat the egg whites and if you folded them into the cocoa mixture without deflating them too much.
• 14 don't worry, even if you only get 6 they will be wonderful.
• 15 set custard cups into a deep baking pan and carry this to the oven.
• 16 open oven, pull out rack, and set down pan.
• 17 now pour very hot tap water in the baking pan to come up about one-inch around the outside of the custard cups.
• 18 (i do it this way so i don't have to carry the pan with the souffles and water to the oven-- it's heavy and you risk sloshing water into your souffles.) slide in oven rack, close oven door and bake for 25 minutes.
• 19 the centres will be a little runny, as they should be.
• 20 serve immediately.