Tartes Soufflées au Chocolat
Learned at the Paris bistro L’Office: a frozen batter that bakes in minutes, revealing a warm, melted-mousse center. Effort level five, drama level eleven.
- Makes4-6 servings
- Cook Time3¾ hours
- Active time plus cooling40 minutes active
These individual desserts are our take on the tarte soufflée au chocolat served at L’Office, a bistro on the outer edge of Paris’ ninth arrondissement. A frozen batter is baked in a hot oven for a few minutes to set the exterior; breaking into the “tart” reveals a soft, warm, melty-mousse interior. This impressive dessert is quite easy to make, but you will need a six-cavity, half-sphere silicone mold, with each mold measuring about 2½ inches across. An instant-read thermometer comes in handy, too. For make-ahead convenience, the filled mold can remain in the freezer for up to three days. When you are ready to serve, simply pop the frozen “tarts” out of the mold and bake them on a baking sheet. If you wish to gild the lily, garnish the whipped cream accompaniment with chocolate shavings, but be prepared to serve the tarts within 10 minutes of removal from the oven; otherwise the centers begin to turn cakey.
Don’t stop stirring the egg mixture over the water bath. Eggs are sensitive to heat, so it’s important to keep the mixture moving so it doesn’t wind up with curdled, overcooked bits. Also, don’t remove the filled mold from the freezer until the oven has come up to temperature and you are ready to bake. They need to remain in the freezer until the last possible moment.
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