Chocolate Soufflés with Pistachios

Even though I am not a big fan of sweets, I do indulge in desserts from time to time. Moderation is the key. Also, making sensible substitutions, like whole milk with skim milk or using egg whites than yolks, makes your indulgence not so guilty. This is one such low fat recipe, adapted from Cooking Light.

Chocolate Soufflés with Pistachios

Soufflés can be intimidating for first timers. But when the directions are followed exactly, they are ‘a piece of cake’! This particular recipe is not a sugary sweet dessert, which is the way I like my chocolate. In my books, chocolate should taste slightly bitter, to appreciate its depth. But, if you like it sweeter, increase sugar or use milk chocolate than semisweet. Also, soufflés, as you see in the photo, collapse very fast. So serve them straight from the oven to the table. Melt-in-your-mouth spongy chocolate with crunchy toasted pistachios is sure to get you Oohs and Aahs from your guests.

Ingredients

Semisweet chocolate - 1 oz (about ¼ cup)
Butter – 1½ + ½ tbsp
Sugar – 10 tbsp + 1 tsp
Cocoa powder – 2 tbsp
All purpose flour or Maida – 2 tbsp
Egg whites – 3
1% Low fat milk – ½ cup
Pistachios – 4 tbsp, chopped
Salt – 1/8 tsp

Method

Preheat oven to 375F. Coat 4 ramekins with ½ tbsp of butter and a tsp of sugar. Place them on a baking sheet.

Combine 5 tbsp of sugar, 1½ tbsp of butter and chocolate in a sauce pan. Cook over low heat until the chocolate is just melted. Add cocoa, flour and salt and whisk until combined. Gradually stir in the milk and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously. After about 3 minutes, the mixture will thicken. Remove from heat and cool.

Beat egg whites until foamy with a high speed hand mixer. Add remaining 5 tbsp of sugar, 1 tbsp at a time and beat until stiff peaks form. Gently fold 1/4th of the egg mixture into chocolate mixture. Repeat the procedure with remaining egg mixture, mixing 1/4th at a time. Spoon into prepared ramekins, sprinkle each ramekin with a tsp of nuts. Bake for 20 minutes and serve immediately.

Chocolate Soufflés with Pistachios

54 comments:

Sig said...

hmm.. low fat milk and egg whites... that sure is a guilt free dessert...love your ramekins, mine are all white... may be I should buy some colorful ones, that might inspire me to bake some hearty desserts... :)

sra said...

That looks lovely!

Latha Narasimhan said...

Yes! all tasty desserts need not be high calorie! your recipe is nice! Picture is very tempting with all the nuts!:))

Sia said...

forget about collapsing sug, mine never raised:( ur souffles look lovely suganya...

Anonymous said...

That is a treat for a Chocoholic like me....!!!

Raaga said...

looks yummy :-)

FH said...

Love it and the topping with Pista has me sold!:))

Richa said...

wow! that looks delicious :)

Laavanya said...

Wow! this is wonderful and sounds very doable. I've always put-off souffle - daunted by the complexity that surrounds it but you make it all sound very easy.. :) Love the addition of pistachios.

Pooja V said...

This sure is a very yummy dessert to gain all the oooohs n aaahas.

Jyothi said...

Hi Suganya! looks yummy and awesome. Great pics. Thanks for sharing.

noruku theeni said...

Hi Suganya..

First let me thank you for visiting my blog and giving your comments...
The payaru goes very well with rice..Do try and let me know..

Looked at your Choc souffles and they really look awesome..
Will definitely try and let you know..
Thanks

Bong Mom said...

Hmmm...that looks guilt free yet decadent. What chocolate would you suggest ?

Susan said...

Very pretty, Suganya. Love your little glazed ramekins. I have a thing for oven ware, but fast running out of space. : )

Finla said...

Wow you did siuffles. It looks delicious.
I have never ever mase souffles as i am always afraid that it might not turn out well.
Yours look wonderful

TheCooker said...

OMG!
How long did it take for the whites to form peaks....since you aren't using cream of tartar?

Roopa (KitchenAromas) said...

Suganya, your pictures are just mind blowing! And yeah, chocolate ain't real if it ain't bitter! :)

Prema Sundar said...

That looks wonderful SUganya... Have had it many times outside but Haven't made souffles at home..

Suganya said...

Sig, I recently bought them. Cudn't leave those red beauties :)

Sra, Latha Maami, Thank you!

Aw! Try it again Sia. Practice makes one perfect :)

Cinnamon, Raaga, Asha, Richa, Thanks a bunch!

Laavanya, They are easy. You have try 'em to find that out :)

Thanks for visiting Pooja and Jyothi.

NT, Thanks for getting back. You have a lovely blog. The name was enuf to allure me :)

Sandeepa, I used Ghirardelli's baking chocolate. But bulk chocolates from Trader Joe's are fine too.

Susan, the temptation was too much. Was bored with the white ones. And, I have no more counter space for an extra spoon :(

HC, French makes them sound intimidating. They are not!

TheCooker, I was so expecting yr feedback here, Chocolate Tester :). I would say about 5 minutes with an electric mixer. I have never used Cream of Tartar, still the peaks were stable. But then, I immediately shoved them into the oven.

Roopa, I assume you are the 'Bittersweet' kind, like me :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Suganya,
I love the colour co-ordination...chocolate, pista and maroon ceramic lovely.
Wish I could take a spoonful of souffle..Great pictures as always.

Padma said...

I loved those red ramekins.. And ofcourse C souffles look fabulous!

A, mama of twins said...

I love the red cups as well. I just cup here to drool and salivate. I am hungry for chocolate now!

Rajitha said...

suganya..as usual beautiful and pretty...those ramekins sure are pretty

Priyanka said...

Suganya, all your recipes are so mouthwatering and droolworthy- cant get enough of your pics- the tamale- garlic viniagarette and the souffle are just amazing:)

Sharmi said...

sinfully delicious looking souffles. you are so good at all this. hats off to you.

Anonymous said...

Suganya,
This is my 1st comment at your blog. You have amazing pics. I just love the way you write and present your recipes.
And the choclate souffles, i am drooling here! Can i come over...
By the way do you have any left...

musical said...

Aha! Chocolate is always welcome! That picture is tempeting enough to make me forget all moderation ;).

Dee said...

Hey Suganya, I did miss quite some interesting stuff on your blog, yes souffles are scary and especially for first time souffle bakers , but they are worth a try!!love the recipe!

bee said...

i'm terrified of souffles. yours look great.

Kajal said...

I also like low fat desserts. Ya....you make me craze my dear and I would like to visit your home for this delicious choco Souffles with Pista.......Nice desserts.:)))

Viji said...

Choco pista are great combo Suganya. It is tempting. Viji

amna said...

awesome!!! :)

i dont have an electric beater though. I need to upgrade my kitchen two notches before i can make something like this :)

Anonymous said...

Gosh! These look delicious! But tell me, how does one serve these as soon as they are made without being stuck in the kitchen through most of the meal? Can the mixture be made ahead of time, put into the ramekins and stored in the refrigerator perhaps, and popped into the oven just 20 mins before the guests are ready for dessert? This is the part that confounds me and so I have never made soufflé. :-(

Anonymous said...

souffles and I have some kind of a "unnamed enimity", never liked the way they tasted - somehow yours looks attractive - maybe just maybe i'll give this a try sometime. :D

Tee said...

I love it when desserts are low fat--especially those made with chocolate! I am Oohing and aahing just looking at the pictures :)

Mandira said...

wow, this looks fabulous. I have to try making this soon.

Suganya said...

Thank you Madhu. I love those colours too.

Padma, Archana, Chocolate is tempting. Even I want to make this again looking at the pic :)

I am surprised that everyone loves that ramekin, Rajitha. Glad that am not alone.

Thanks for going thru my other recipes Priyanka!

You said it right, Sharmi. They are sinfully delicious.

Madhavi, You are very welcome. Hoping to see more of you!

Musical, between you and me, I had more than my share of this souffle ;)

Looks like you were busy Dee. So was I :). Glad to have you back!

Thank you Bee and Kajal!

They are a great combo Viji!

Electric beater are so handy, Nags. Not only for this, but for so many things, if you are a regular baker, like me :)

Manisha, That is a very good question. Sugar that is added to the egg whites itself stabilizes them to a certain extent, say about an hour. But if you want to make them ahead then you can use cream of tartar. It is a stabilizer that prevents the collapse of the foam. They are available in all grocery stores, super markets in the baking aisle. You would need to use 1/8 tsp for each egg. I hope this answers your question.

You probably tasted the wrong ones Lakshmi. You are the first person I have met hating souffles. They are so delicate and melt like rose petals :)

You are kind, Tee :)

Swaruchy said...

Looks lovely Suganya.....Nice tempting bowl :-)

Dhana said...

This looks too delectable...and guilt free too? ?? hmmm

Saju said...

yummmmmmm! that looks so chocalatty, I could just eat them now. Love the nuts topping too

Anonymous said...

Hi Suganya,

You have been so busy and I was away from reading only a week or so! It will take me a month to go through all these gorgeous dishes. Honestly, I think you need to start a food photography school. Half the time I can't take my eyes off the pics long enough to read the recipes!!! :)

Cynthia said...

I'm ouuuuing and ahhhhing right now and I don't even like chocolate.

More serious matters, please give my best to G.

Notice how serious it is, that there's no smilely there, nor here.

Okay, I can't keep a straight face :)

SeeC said...

Looks Delicious.

I have never tried these varieties.
Should give it a shot sometime

Dee said...

wasnt keeping well, busy taking care of myself :) Glad to be back too :)

Prajusha said...

souffles looks mouthwatering:)

Anonymous said...

could i have some right away..... :)

Seena said...

Good one..! will try for kids..

Kribha said...

Absolutely love it. The pictures are making me drool. Especially the nut topping looks yummy yummy good.

Suma Gandlur said...

Pretty pics.

Suganya said...

Thank you Sirisha!

Guilt free, it is.. Go on.. Dig in, Dhana.

Saju, the nuts were a wonderful addition.

Oh Linda, Not sure whether I am that skilled for a photography class. But thanks for yr kind words :)

Cynthia, :O.

SeeC, Thank you for visiting my blog :)

I hope you are feeling better now, Dee.

They tasted great too, Prajusha.

Its all in our tummy, Priya.. And long gone too. I can make some more :)

Kids can't get enough of anything chocolate-y, Seena.

Thank you Kribha and Suma!

sdf said...

Hmm.. looks lovely.. have had them outside, but never tried @ home. Great recipe.

Rachna said...

wow.... so lovely...

Pravs said...

yummy !!! looks sooo delicious.

Mansi said...

This souffle is so good!! I like it exactly the same way...not too sweet:) I think I need to buy some ramekins now! u've inspired me a lot Suganya:)

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