CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE FOR 2 RECIPE

Surrender to this luxurious chocolate souffle. This is an easy chocolate souffle recipe. You only need five ingredients to make this decadent chocolate souffle for two. You can make ahead or freeze the chocolate souffle. It’s even more sumptuous when you part the top of the chocolate souffle and slip in a scoop of vanilla ice cream or serve with creme anglaise.

2 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 Tablespoons (1 oz.) unsalted butter
2 large eggs, separated
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup (1 oz.) confectioners’ sugar
1 Tablespoon chocolate liqueur

1. Lightly butter two 6-ounce souffle dish and dust with granulated sugar, tapping out excess. Set the ramekins on a small baking sheet.Set aside.
2. In bowl over saucepan of hot water (not boiling)or in a microwave, melt chocolate with butter.Remove from the heat and whisk until glossy and smooth. Stir in the chocolate liqueur and the salt.
3. In separate bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form, and beat in 3 tablespoon of the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form.
4. In another bowl, beat egg yolks with remaining sugar until thick and pale yellow. Beat in chocolate mixture until incorporated. Fold in one-quarter of the egg whites; gently fold in remaining whites. Divide into prepared container. (Can be prepared to this point and refrigerated for up to 4 hours or freeze for up to two weeks.)
5. Place dish on baking sheet. Bake in lower third of 375°F oven for 18 minutes or until puffed and the exterior is set but interior is still a bit loose and creamy and risen about 1-inch above the ramekin.Careful not to overbake. Dust souffles with powdered sugar and serve immediately as is or with vanilla ice cream or creme anglaise. (To bake straight from the freezer, unwrap the ramekins and set on a small baking sheet or jellyroll pan. Let them sit for 20 min. while heating the oven to 400°F. Bake on the baking sheet until puffed and risen about 1 inch above the ramekin, 18 min.)

Note: For step-by-step recipe with photos get Desserts Magazine Issue #2.

CHOCOLATE FONDUE FOR 2 RECIPE

Chocolate fondue is an easy and simple desserts. Chocolate fondue is the perfect way to end a romantic meal. The set up can be done way in advanced and the only thing you have to do later is turn on a little flame. Although a fondue pot does make it easier, it isn’t necessary. You can just heat the sauce beforehand in a small saucepan and pour in a bowl. Serve with different fresh or dried fruits, cakes, and cookies that are placed on attractive platters along with small wooden skewers for dipping. Reheat the sauce as necessary in the microwave.

6 ounces semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon Kirsch brandy, Grand Marnier or rum, or to taste (optional)
a pinch of salt
Assorted fruits (such as whole strawberries, pineapple slices, pear slices, banana slices, apple slices)
Dried Fruits (such as apricot, candied ginger)
Angel-food cake, brownies, pound cake cubes, and pretzels

1. In the top of a double boiler placed over gently simmering water, or in heavy small saucepan, combine the chocolate pieces, salt, and 1/4 cup cream. Heat, stirring constantly, over low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in additional cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.
2. Pour mixture into a fondue pot and stir in the brandy or rum(if using). Place over fondue burner set on low. With fondue forks or long bamboo skewers, dip fruit dippers, cake cubes and/or marshmallows into chocolate mixture. (Will hold up to 1 hour on low. If mixture gets too thick, add cream 1 tablespoon at a time and stir.)

NOTE: Fondue can sit at room temperature for several hours or in refrigerator for several days. Before serving, reheat until warm. Fruit should be patted dry to allow fondue to adhere to surface.

More Recipes:
S’mores Fondue
Creme Brulee

CREME BRULEE FOR 2 RECIPE

Crème brûlée (French for “burnt cream”; pronounced “krehm broo-LAY”) is a dessert consisting of a rich custard topped with a thin layer of hard caramel, created by burning sugar under a grill, a torch or other intense heat source. Creme Brulee is served cold in individual ramekins. | Video

1 cup heavy cream , chilled
2 tablespoons granulated sugar plus 1 additional teaspoon
Pinch salt
3 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 – 4 teaspoons granulated sugar or Demerara sugar

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees F. Arrange two 4- to 5-ounce ramekins (or shallow fluted dishes) in a baking pan. In the meantime, boil water.
2. Combine 1 cup cream, sugar, and salt in small saucepan and bring the mixture to a slight boil over medium-low heat, stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves.
3. Whisk yolks in medium bowl until broken up and combined. Whisk in vanilla extract and about 1/4 cup cream mixture into yolks until combined; repeat with another 1/4 cup cream. Add remaining cream and whisk until thoroughly combined. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl and discard solids in strainer. Ladle the mixture into ramekins, dividing it evenly among them.
4. Carefully place baking pan with ramekins on oven rack; pour the boiling water into the pan, taking care not to splash water into ramekins, until water reaches two-thirds height of ramekins. Bake until centers of custards are just barely set, about 30 to 40 minutes. Check 5 minutes before the recommended time.
5. Transfer ramekins to wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover the creme brulee tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 4 days.
6. Uncover ramekins; if condensation has collected on custards, pat lightly with a paper towel on the surface to soak up moisture. Sprinkle each with about 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar , tilt and tap ramekin for even coverage. Ignite torch and caramelize sugar. If you don’t have a torch, place under the broiler until sugar caramelize. Refrigerate ramekins, uncovered, to re-chill, 30 to 45 minutes. Serve.