Chocolate Soufflé Cakes with Espresso Chocolate Sauce

FREE RECIPE PREVIEW

Ingredients — preview

• 1 teaspoon Instant Espresso Powder
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate 70%, coarsely chopped
• 3 ounces butter cut into eight pieces
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• pinch salt

Preparation — preview

1. Place a quarter-sheet pan in the freezer to chill.
2. Lightly butter six 6-oz. ramekins or custard cups.
3. In a small bowl, combine the espresso powder with 2 Tbs. warm water and stir to dissolve.
4. In a medium heatproof bowl set in or over a skillet of barely simmering water, melt the chocolate, butter and sugar, stirring frequently, until smooth.
5. Add two pinches of salt, stir, and remove from the heat.
6. Transfer 5 Tbs. of the chocolate mixture to the espresso and stir to blend. (Set the remaining melted chocolate aside.)
7. Use a spatula to scrape the espresso mixture into a puddle on the chilled pie plate or cake pan and return to the freezer until firm, about 10 minutes.
8. When the espresso-chocolate mixture is firm, use a teaspoon to scrape it into six rough balls.
9. Keep the balls on the plate and refrigerate until ready to use.
10. Reheat the remaining chocolate mixture by setting its bowl in or over the skillet of hot water.