Mexican chocolate souffle

S and I had a friend over last week, and for our post-dinner entertainment, we brought out this beauty.

Mexican Chocolate Souffle (adapted from FoodNetwork)

• 4 (3.1-ounce) disks Mexican chocolate, coarsely chopped (can be found in specialty and Hispanic grocery stores, or see my note below)
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, soft
• 6 egg yolks
• 6 egg whites
• 1/4 cup sugar

Grease 8 ramekins with butter (I had one that had been storing bacon grease, so I used that instead of butter – I ended up with something chocolatey, with a touch of saltiness and bacon flavor… quite spectacular).

Stir the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Many people would recommend using some variation on a double boiler for melting chocolate, but I’m pretty sure that I’ve never used one. Just keep it on low heat and pay attention. Remember, chocolate will melt in your hands at a balmy 98.6 F, so you should be fine with the lowest heat your stove will do. Keep stirring until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for a couple minutes. Whisk in the egg yolks, and beat until smooth again.

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Add in the sugar and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the eggs into the chocolate mixture in 3 parts. Divide the chocolate batter among the ramekins, about 3/4 full. Bake at 400 F for about 15 minutes (maybe a minute or two longer, depending on how full your ramekins are).

These will be extravagantly light and fluffy, and best served warm!

Backstory on the Mexican chocolate: we went to my parents’ on Cinco de Mayo (coming from good German stock), and made s’mores after dinner. However, in honor of the occasion, I made some Mexican chocolate to use instead. I have no idea how this compares to actual Mexican chocolate, but it sure is good. Simply add a cup or two of semi-sweet chocolate chips (or a regular chocolate bar) to a saucepan (again over low heat), and as it melts, stir in cinnamon and cayenne pepper. This is totally to taste – if you like it hot, add more pepper; a little sweeter, load up on the cinnamon. Spread on wax paper in a thin sheet and allow to cool until hard. Now you too can use it for s’mores, or break up and use in the above recipe!

For something a little different, try this grain-free flourless chocolate cake!