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.

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.