Chocolate Soufflé

Everything about the soufflés I made was fast. I decided to make it at a moment's notice when realizing the one month anniversary dinner Tim and I planned was without dessert. Time it took to prepare everything? Fast. Bake time? Not bad. Sadly, what else was fast was how long it kept its height. I didn't get a shot of the soufflé at its peak because, well, they deflate. Fast. And lastly, they didn't stick around for long because how does Tim eat his soufflé? Fast.

Chocolate Soufflé
from Gourmet February 2002

Ingredients:
1/3 cup sugar plus additional for sprinkling
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3 large egg yolks at room temperature
6 large egg whites

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Generously butter soufflé dish and sprinkle with sugar, knocking out excess.
3. Melt chocolate in microwave, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and stir in yolks.
4. Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks.
5. Add 1/3 cup sugar, a little at a time, continuing to beat at medium speed, then beat at high speed until whites just hold stiff peaks.
6. Stir about 1 cup whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then add mixture to remaining whites, folding gently but thoroughly.
7. Spoon into soufflé dish and run the end of your thumb around inside edge of soufflé dish (this will help soufflé rise evenly).
8. Bake in middle of oven until puffed and crusted on top, about 24 minutes. Serve immediately.