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Individual Chocolate Soufflés

posted by Liz Berg on December 20, 2022 (updated 3/6/24)

These Individual Chocolate Soufflés are a decadent dessert that will impress your guests! These always do the trick. They’re easier to make than you might think!!

Learn How to Make a Souffle where the magic of whipped egg whites mixed with rich melted chocolate happens with a short stint in the oven. It’s a restaurant-worthy dessert you can make in your own kitchen. Be prepared for applause!!!

Individual Individual Chocolate Soufflés in white ramekins with a fresh raspberry garnish.

Table of Contents hide

1 Why You Must Make

2 Ingredient Notes

3 Expert Tips

4 Frequently Asked Questions

5 You May Also Like:

6 Individual Chocolate Soufflés Recipe

Why You Must Make

These have a delicious, deep chocolate intensity. Sometimes souffles are more fluff than flavor. The key is to have at least an ounce of chocolate per serving.
A soufflé is such a light, airy dessert that is extremely impressive as it puffs up in the oven.
This recipe for Individual Chocolate Soufflés gives an option to freeze. This allows you to pop your frozen souffles in the oven as you’re finishing up dinner, since it’s not practical for the dinner host or hostess to whip up the dessert while the guests wait.

Ingredient Notes

Kitchen Staples – Butter, Powdered Sugar, Real Vanilla Extract (not imitation)
Semisweet Chocolate – Chopped; Use good quality chocolate for the best flavor. Chocolate chips can be used, but not recommended. I use Ghirardelli bars.
Liqueur of your choice – I used Frangelico, a hazelnut liqueur, but Grand Marnier is another tasty
Eggs – Separated; separate when cold so the yolks are less likely to break, but let them come to room temperature before whipping or adding.
Cream of Tartar – Will stabilize the egg whites.

Individual Individual Chocolate Soufflés in ramekins with strawberry garnishes.

Expert Tips

Nick, a true clone of his chocoholic dad, declared these good but not chocolaty enough when I served these first back in 2011. I, on the other hand, found these individual chocolate soufflés intensely rich and delectable. But he was over for a Sunday night dinner recently where these gems were the grand finale to our menu. There was not a single syllable of criticism. I’d been redeemed…or more likely, his palate had matured!

If you’re new to making soufflés, here are a few pointers to help you through the process.

PRO-Tip: First, it’s imperative you know that a soufflé will start deflating as soon as it comes out of the oven. So you can either do the final mixing and baking right before dessert is served or make early, freeze, and bake slightly longer (see recipe card below for freezing details).
Prepping your ramekins will ensure a perfect rise. The butter helps the sugar adhere. The sugar helps the soufflé have something to hold onto as it rises.
Using a collar of parchment helps keep the soufflé higher than the ramekin, staying in line and not falling out of the dish.
PRO-Tip: When whipping egg whites, your bowl and beaters must be scrupulously clean. Any grease on either (which also includes egg yolk contamination) will prevent your whites from beating to stiff peaks.
The whipped whites allow for the expansion of your soufflés, so if your whites don’t whip properly, toss them and begin again.
I had a couple of uncollared soufflés. One rose and split like a flower….another looked like it exploded! I’d recommend less batter in the ramekins (make 8 instead of 6 soufflés if not using the collars).

Individual Individual Chocolate Soufflés with a spoonful removed to reveal the interior.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Soufflé?

The popularity of the soufflé (pronounced so͞oʹflā) is credited to Marie-Antoine Carême, the father of French haute cuisine. He published his recipe in “Le Pâtissier Royal Parisien” in 1815, though the first recipe can be traced back to 1742.
Soufflé comes from the French word souffler, meaning to breathe or to puff, and is composed of both a base and egg whites. The base can be savory, like a cheese soufflé, or sweet like a raspberry souffle, lemon soufflé, or this chocolate souffle. The egg whites give the puff and the base adds the flavor.

Can You Make a Soufflé Ahead of Time?

Yes! Scroll down to the recipe to see how to freeze your soufflés and bake them later.

How Do You Know When a Soufflé is Done?

When a soufflé is done, the top will be puffed and the center will only shake slightly when jiggled. If you’re still unsure, take two spoons and break open the center of one soufflé and check out the consistency of the middle. If you prefer a softer center, bake for a shorter time or if you want a firmer soufflé, add a couple more minutes.