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.
