This Easy Chocolate SoufflĂ© will make any chocolate lover swoon! Making soufflĂ©s doesn’t have to be impossibly hard. You just need a good set of instructions and we’ve got you covered with a detailed recipe, complete with a video demonstration.

chocolate souffle in a white ramekin dish.

Seriously, read through these instructions. Is there anything really that hard?  I’m being extra wordy in my instructions to help you through the terminology. It’s like I’ll be there holding your hand the entire way. You are going to be so proud of yourself when you do it. So go! now! Heat some cream, melt some chocolate, whip some egg whites, fold it all together and then bam…gourmet dessert. Nailed it.

What size of ramekin should I use to make a chocolate souffle? How do I know what size my ramekin is?

This recipe is designed for an 8-ounce ramekin. We have found that this is the optimal size for a single serving. Not sure what size your ramekin is? Measure it! Fill it up with some water and then pour that water into a liquid measuring cup. You’ll know what size you have.

PRO TIP: Be sure to grease your ramekin! Greasing your ramekin will help it bake more evenly. Butter works best for greasing a ramekin when making souffles. You can also sprinkle a little bit of granulated sugar over the butter to give your souffle a delicious sugary crust which will make you look like a pro.

What kind of chocolate should I use?

This recipe calls for semi-sweet chocolate chips. Chocolate comes in varying degrees of quality that impacts the final flavor. We recommend using a good quality chocolate chip like Guittard or Ghirardelli. Chocolate chips are the easiest option. You can also use a semi-sweet baking chocolate bar, but you’ll need to chop it up. Using chocolate chips saves you the step. If you are a milk chocolate lover, this recipe will also work with milk chocolate chips, but some might find that a bit too sweet.

What does it mean when it calls for stiff peaks on egg whites?

Souffles of any flavor require egg whites to be whipped until stiff peaks are formed. This can be done using a hand mixer, a stand mixer, or if you have strong arms you can also do it with a wire whisk. Stiff peaks describe egg whites that hold their shape and don’t collapse. When you remove your beaters or whisk, some of the gg white will rise up and create peaks. If they hold briefly and slowly collapse, you have created soft peaks. Stiff peaks will hold their shape for a long time.

Spoon of chocolate souffle with the full ramekin of chocolate souffle in the background

PRO TIP: Be sure to fold your egg whites into your chocolate mixture gently. You want to keep as much of the air that you’ve beaten into your egg whites as possible. Be gentle and patient. Don’t stir or mix. Be sure that you are folding the mixture to keep the air in.

This recipe first appeared on The Stay At Home Chef on September 18, 2013