Chocolate Upside Down Souffles

Source: New York Times Feb. 2, 2003 (recipe from Francois Payard)

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces Unsalted Butter
• ⅓ cup Sugar
• 6 ounces Unsweetened Chocolate, Cut Into Small Pieces
• 4 large Eggs, Separated
• 2 teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice
• Whipped Cream Or Vanilla
• Ice Cream

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter 8 4-oz souffle cups or ceramic ramekins and dust them with enough sugar to completely coat bottoms and sides.

2. Melt 1½ sticks butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and add the chocolate pieces. Stir with a whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside.

3. Beat the egg yolks at medium speed with a mixer, gradually adding ⅓ cup sugar. Beat until thick and pale yellow, about 5 to 6 minutes. Pour in the butter and chocolate mixture and mix at low speed just until blended, making sure the chocolate mixture is well incorporated.

4. Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until foamy and add the lemon juice. Continue beating until soft peaks form. Add the remaining tbsp of sugar and beat until peaks are stiff and shiny. Stir ¼ of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold in the rest and spoon into prepared cups. Set the cups in a baking pan.

5. Place the pan in the oven and pour in boiling water until it reaches 1 inch up the sides of the cups. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is firm and a knife inserted near the center comes out almost clean. Remove the pan from the oven and the cups from the pan. Let souffle sit for 2 minutes.

6. Turn the cups upside down onto individual dessert plates and unmold souffles. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.