Chocolate Soufflé

This is a great one for guys who are making Valentines Dinner.  It seems complicated, but if you follow the steps it is REALLY tough to screw up.

You will need…

• 2 Ramekins or Oven Proof Bowls
• Butter, Margarine, or other grease for the bowls
• 3 Eggs (separated)
• Pinch Cream of Tartar (optional)
• 4 Tablespoons of Sugar
• 3-6oz GOOD Chocolate (Go for a dark bar.  Avoid powdered anything here)
• Hand mixer
• 3 mixing bowls
• Pot about half full of water
• Rubber Spatula.
• Oven set at 350

Place 1 HEAT PROOF mixing bowl in the pot of water. This creates a Double Boiler.
Bring the water to a simmering boil.
Break chocolate into chunks and drop them into the Double Boiler to let them melt.

Grease the Ramekins or Oven Proof Bowls. (Some people like to also dust them with sugar of flour.)
Set them aside

In one mixing bowl beat the egg whites with 2 Tbsp Sugar and/or Cream of Tartar until hard peaks form.  (about 3-4 minutes)
This is the body of your Soufflé.

Rinse off the beaters.

In the 3rd mixing bowl, combine the rest of the sugar, and egg yolks.
Beat for 5 minutes. (This is the mixture that will carry the flavor of your chocolate, so make sure that it is as smooth and evenly mixed as possible.  2 extra minutes here will be a BIG deal)

Take the melted chocolate off of the stove.

With the rubber spatula, add some of the yolk mix to the chocolate and stir.
When the yolk and chocolate are mixed, stir THIS combination into the remaining yolk mix.

Take about half of the beaten whites and hand stir it into the yolk/chocolate mix.
When they are gently mixed, add the yolk/chocolate/white mix to the remaining whites.

Scoop evenly into the Ramekins or Oven Proof Bowls.

Bake 25 min at 350. Serve immediately.