Chocolate Souffle for forty

The eggs come first. The Country Hen eggs are my 
favorite store-bought egg. I've used them in countless 
recipes, and in most of my wedding cakes. They are 
very much worth the extra price because the quality 
is eggscellent. We drop big  money on our cars all 
the time - the refrigerator section is not the place 
to go cheep. 

 

In the picture is also a cast iron pan with shallots - 
for roasted parsnips and shallots soup I 
happened to be also making that day. Roasted 
those shallots in the oven - much more even that 
way and no need to stand over the stove. 

But the chocolate souffle...let the eggs come to 
room temperature. Then prepare the souffle dishes - 
but you can use lasagna dishes, cup cake foil tins, 
origami, tea cups....just about anything. People recognize 
it better in a souffle dish. Spray oil lightly in the dish. 
Rub any cooking oil around with your hand if no 
spray is in the pantry. Dump a cup of sugar in the 

dish and turn the dish to evenly coat it with sugar, 
dumping  excess into the next dish, if more than one, 
and so on. 

Separate the eggs. Save the shells for your garden. 
Chop up the chocolate, microwave it on very low several 
times and turn it with a spatula or otherwise keep it in a 

warm place to get it warm enough (111˚F) to flow. Just 
be sure to do it slow and steady; chocolate is delicate. 
This is essentially James Beard's recipe(more or less)-

see his American Cookery - One ounce bittersweet 
chocolate to each egg. 

Oven temperature is 400ƒ if you are making a big batch 
as shown. At home for one dish, 375ƒ is enough. 
When oven is ready, pans are ready, chocolate is melted, 
eggs are separated...you are ready. 

Beat yolks with about a half cup sugar to each dozen eggs. 
Use the beater attachment, no problem. They get paler 
and lemoney looking. Stop beating, scrape them into a large 

mixing bowl. Whip whites at high speed. When they become 
foamy, which is pretty quickly, add about 1/2 teaspoon of 
cream of tarter per dozen eggs. Keep on whipping, while 
adding about 1/2 cup sugar per dozen eggs. Volume 
should increase a lot....but stop whipping when the egg 
white foam is still shiny, when good stable peaks are formed 

but not crumbly. 

While whites are whipping or waiting, fold the chocolate 
lightly into the egg yolk and sugar to form an emulsion. 
Before all yellow and chocolate streaks are gone, add 
the whites and fold lightly until mostly blended and 
of a satisfyingly chocolate color. Scrape gently into 
dishes and get them into the oven. Do not worry 
about putting them on pans of water as so many books 
warn you - but if you are using some lightweight 
containers it is best to place a sheet pan under them. 
Turn the oven down 25 degrees after about 20 minutes. 
Doneness depends on the center of whatever receptacle 
you chose to bake the souffle in. The bigger they are, and 
the deeper you fill them, usually the longer the center 

takes to cook. When done the center is domed, the
souffle is slightly separated straining where it touches
the edge of the dish, and the center is not jiggly. You can
stick a skewer in or a sharp knife to check if you like.

By 30 minutes, surely, even large souffle dishes are about 
done. Have a platter ready to set the souffle dish upon. A wet 
cloth napkin is a nice thing to have below the souffle dish 
as it prevents sliding. Warn people that the baking dishes are 
hot and trust them to dispatch the souffle forthwith.