Monday, June 1, 2009

Chocolate Soufflé with Crème Anglaise (low carb)

This weekend I was trying to stick with my low crab diet (I put on a few pounds in the last two weeks and my jeans are starting to get snug). But just because I’m low carbing it doesn’t mean I can’t bake! I had a recipe for Chocolate Soufflé with Creme Anglaise that I thought would work well with Splenda and sugar free chocolate. So I gave it a try…

Here is the end product. What do you think?


I know, I know, too many nuts, but I looove nuts. I had never made soufflé before, but based on pictures I thought it would puff up more. Maybe it was the Splenda. It was also dense, more like flourless chocolate cake than my idea of a soufflé. But I didn’t mind… it still tasted good. Especially when I soaked it in the Crème Anglaise. Yummmm....


Here is the recipe…

Chocolate Soufflé with Crème Anglaise (Low Carb version)

Makes 4 mini souffles

1/2 cup nuts, finely chopped

5 tablespoons pourable Splenda (the kind in the box that measures like regular sugar)

1 – 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for brushing

4 oz sugar free Dark Chocolate

2 large egg yolks

3 large egg whites

Pinch of salt

Vanilla Crème Anglaise (recipe to follow, make this first and allow to set in refrigerator)


  • Pre heat oven to 400 degrees.
  • In a bowl mix the chopped nuts and 1 tablespoon of Splenda.
  • Brush four 4-ounce ramekins with butter and coat with the nut mixture (reserve some of the nut mixture to top the batter before baking).
  • Place the ramekins in a 9 x 9 inch brownie pan and place in the refrigerator .
  • In the microwave melt (at 30 sec interval) the chocolate and 1 - 1/2 tablespoons of butter. Stir until smooth. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
  • In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 3 tablespoons of Splenda until pale and thickened (about 4 minutes).
  • Gradually beat in the cooled chocolate. IMPORTANT: if the chocolate is too hot it will cook the egg yolks.
  • In another bowl, and using clean beaters, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Beat in the remaining 1 tablespoon of Splenda.
  • Beat 1/4 of the eggs whites into the chocolate mix, and then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites into the chocolate mix using a rubber spatula.
  • Spoon the batter into the ramekins and sprinkles remaining nut mixture over the batter.
  • Rub your thumb along the inside rim of the ramekin to remove any stray batter.
  • Half fill the brownie pan with water and place the pan in the center of the oven.
  • Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are set but the center is still soft.
  • Set ramekins on heat proof plates and immediately sever with chilled Crème Anglaise.



Vanilla Crème Anglaise

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup pourable Splenda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large egg yolks


  • Prepare an ice bath the will hold a small sauce pan.
  • Wisk egg yolks with 1 tablespoon of Splenda.
  • In a small sauce pan combine all ingredients (whipping cream, remaining Splenda, vanilla, and egg yolk mixture). Stir until combined.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon (about 6 minutes). Note: the “coat” test will not work on a metal spoon or rubber spatula.
  • Once cooked, submerge the bottom of the sauce pan into the ice bath and continue to stir. This will immediately halt the cooking process and prevent the cream from curdling.
  • Store in refrigerator and allow to set before serving atop hot soufflé.

3 comments:

  1. Ooooh, I cannot wait to make this! My two BFFs are on weight watchers, while I eat a Paleo/Low Carb diet. It's hard to find desserts that let us meet in the middle. But this is perfect -- we can all enjoy souffle and stick to our diets (it's just 6 points). Thanks!

    I think the reason why your souffle didn't rise dramatically is because of the water bath. I've made savory souffles before, and they don't use water the way that, say, an egg custard does. The water keeps the temperature around the souffle dishes at 212 degrees, so there's no OOMPH to the oven. The higher heat of a dry oven is what gives a souffle its lift.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for the tip, Madeleine. I'll try it next time.

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  2. how many carbs does each serving have including the creme anglaise?

    Thanks

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