Hot Chocolate Soufflés

Ingredients

Serves 6

4 tbsp double cream
1/2 orange, juice and finely grated zest
225g (8 oz) good quality plain chocolate,
finely chopped
85g (3 oz) caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large egg yolks
6 large egg whites
A pinch of salt
Icing sugar, for dusting

To prepare dishes:

Unsalted butter
Caster sugar

Cooking Method

Butter 6 small ovenproof soufflé dishes, or large ramekins, and dust with caster sugar. Place the cream, orange zest and juice into a medium-sized saucepan, and put on the boiling end of the hotplate.

As soon as the cream mixture is almost boiling, add the chocolate and then leave the pan on a cloth on the top plate for 5 minutes. Stir the mixture until the chocolate has melted and become smooth. Remove from the cooker and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract, then the egg yolks, one at a time.

Whisk the egg whites with the salt until stiff. Fold a large spoonful of the egg whites into the chocolate sauce to slacken it, continue to fold in the remainder. Pour into the prepared soufflé dishes, then bake immediately, or freeze at this point until wanted (wrapped tightly in cling film).

Bake on a baking tray on a grid shelf on the third set of runners down in the Roasting Oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes or 20-25 minutes if cooking straight from the freezer, until well risen. Lightly dust with a little icing sugar and serve at once with pistachio ice cream.

Recipe from AGA Living http://www.agaliving.com/aga-living/aga-recipes/hot-chocolate-souffl%C3%A9s#sthash.cNPNdSK2.dpbs