Chocolate Souffle

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the milk and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring the milk to a boil. Meanwhile, use a wooden spoon to combine the butter and flour to form a smooth paste. When the milk boils, whisk in the butter and flour mixture. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring, until the mixture is thick and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Step 2

   Remove the thickened milk from the heat, transfer to a large bowl and cool. When the mixture is tepid, beat in the egg yolks one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the cocoa powder.

3. Step 3

   In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites by hand or with an electric mixer until they are stiff but not dry. Fold them gently into the cocoa mixture. Butter a 2-quart souffle mold, dust it with sugar and scrape the batter into the dish. The dish should be no more than ⅔ full.

4. Step 4

   Bake until the souffle has risen above the top of the dish, is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately with bitter chocolate ice cream (recipe below).