Introduction: CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY SOUFFLÉ SURPRISE

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About: I am a 82-year-old self-proclaimed Chef who has spent most of his life in the hotel/resort tourism industry. I have traveled up and down the east coast of the United States from New York to Key West, and from …

The secret ingredients in this Chocolate-Raspberry Souffle are Lindor's Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffles and Chambord's Dark Raspberry Liqueur, and, if that is not surprise enough, a few raspberries are baked in the middle of each individual souffle!

Step 1: INGREDIENTS (4 Servings - (4 Eight Ounce Ramekins)

  1. 2 Packages (5.1 ounce each) Lindor's Dark Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
  2. 1/4 cup Chambord's Raspberry Liqueur
  3. 3/4 cup Raspberries (Fresh if you can get them; I had to use frozen)
  4. 4 large egg whites
  5. 3 large egg yolks
  6. 1/2 cup Splenda Sugar Blend
  7. 2 teaspoons unsalted butter, softened (to grease ramekins)
  8. 1/4 cup Cool Whip Light (for topping just before serving)

NOTE: All ingredients should be brought to room temperature before making and baking this recipe.

Step 2: INSTRUCTIONS:

All of the material that I have read regarding the melting of chocolate indicates that the chocolate should be placed in a glass or stainless steel bowl over a pot of simmering water, and that the bowl containing the chocolate should not touch the water beneath it. By accident I seem to have stumbled upon the ideal combination of utensils!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

  1. Begin by filling the proper container with water and bringing it to a simmer on the stove top.
  2. While the water is heating, thoroughly grease your ramekins with softened butter.
  3. Sprinkle a little sugar over the bottom of each ramekin, then twist and invert it to coat the sides and/or release any loose sugar.
  4. Rinse your raspberries, than spread them out on a dish covered with a paper towel so that it can absorb as much moisture as possible.
  5. When the water has come to a simmer, unwrap and place the chocolate raspberry truffles in the bowl in which you will melt them, and place the bowl over the simmering water.
  6. Stir frequently with a wire whisk until the chocolate is completely melted, than remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.

PREPARE YOUR EGGS:

  1. Carefully separate the yolks from the egg whites, letting the *egg whites spill into a large stainless steel or glass bowl. Reserve 3 egg yolks in separate little dishes (to be incorporated into the melted chocolate); refrigerate or dispose the 4th egg yolk.
  2. Add the 1/2 cup of Sugar to the egg whites and beat with an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks.
  3. Whisk the egg yolks into the chocolate thoroughly blending in 1 egg yolk at a time, then add the 1/4 cup of raspberry liqueur.
  4. Fold about 1/4th of the stiffened egg whites into the chocolate mixture; fold with a rubber spatula until well mixed, the fold in the remainder of the egg whites until well blended.
  5. Fill the ramekins about 1/2 full with the souffle mixture; then drop a few fresh raspberries on top of the mixture (I had to use about 1/2 teaspoon of thawed frozen berries).
  6. Finish filling the ramekins with the souffle mixture; fill them to within about 1/4" from the ramekin top.
  7. Bake at 400 degrees f for about 32-35 minutes, or until firm.

  • *NOTE: Do not allow any egg yolk to contaminate the egg whites that you are reserving (not even a smidgen). If even one drop of egg yolk spills into the egg whites, you will have to start over. Egg yolk will prevent the egg white from stiffening.

Step 3: TIME TO EAT . . .

Dark chocolate raspberry souffle; a very nice dessert, especially when accompanied with a little vodka topped with Chambord's Raspberry Liqueur. Even one of my favorite vines (Quisqualis indica AKA Rangoon Creeper - also known as the Drunken Sailor) chose to flower for this special occasion!

Bon appétit

While you will want to serve the souffle while it is still warm, you do need to let it rest on the stove top for a few minutes. (While this may cause the souffle's to fall a little, this will allow the centers to solidify a little more (and prevent your guests from burning their tongues).

NOTE: Many hours later - after the leftover souffles had been removed from the ramekins they were baked in and refrigerated - I discovered that these desserts are fantastic when eaten cold; especially when dipped in cold Cool Whip or whipped cream.

  • (I have prepared the nutritional value of this recipe to the best of my ability using the MyFitnessPal Recipe Analyzer. Click to enlarge the image. NOTE: You can reduce the calories contained in the souffle by 108 if you use pure Splenda instead of the Splenda Sugar Blend. I was not certain that plain Splenda would permit the egg whites to stiffen so I used the blend. I will have to try plain Splenda another time).