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Giandua Souffles

I don’t watch much Food Network anymore. Somewhere along the way, it has lost its appeal to me. A few weeks ago, I accidentally watched Giada, and she made these wonderful-looking chocolate souffles. Not only are they chocolate, they also have one of my favorite things – Frangelico, a hazelnut flavored liqueur. The combination of chocolate and hazelnut is what makes these chocolate souffles giandua (or gianduia, gianduja, etc.) souffles.

There is nothing difficult about this recipe, but it certainly requires patience. While I don’t possess much in that area, I am glad I stuck it out to finish these. So, if you can take several minutes of sustained whisking, then don’t hesitate to jump in and make these.

There's a chocolate-hazelnut surprise inside these Giandua Souffles. - Bake or Break

I do have a few comments about the recipe. My whisking time was longer than what was estimated. After the allotted times, I didn’t have the consistency described. I stuck with it, though, and I did get what I was after. Also, I made eight souffles instead of six, although I think my ramekins were smaller than six ounces.

I did make these in advance and kept them covered in the fridge until time to bake them. This is a great do-ahead recipe. I put them in the oven after getting back from a dinner out. By the time we were ready to eat dessert, we had these beautiful hot souffles ready for us.

This being my first souffle experience, I was a bit apprehensive. I was so afraid that they would collapse and look like a mess. However, they couldn’t have turned out better. I came very close to substituting a darker chocolate for the milk chocolate, but I’m glad I didn’t. Something about the sweetness of that chocolate combined with the lightness of the souffle works very well. Plus, that gooey hazelnut-flavored chocolate in the center just makes these extra good.

Giandua Souffles are wonderfully delicious and elegant. - Bake or Break

Giandua Souffle

Yield 6 servings
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes

A light, fluffy soufflé full of decadent flavor!

Giandua Souffle

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon + 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 tablespoon Frangelico
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 9 ounces milk chocolate, divided
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • pinch salt
  • 4 large eggs, separated
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Butter and sugar 6 6-ounce ramekins.
  2. Place butter, 1 tablespoon sugar, Frangelico, and vanilla in the top of a double boiler. Heat over medium heat until butter melts. Remove from heat. Add 3 ounces of chocolate, and let sit until chocolate melts.
  3. Transfer chocolate mixture to a pie plate. Place in freezer for 10 minutes.
  4. Using a spoon, form the cold chocolate into 6 evenly-sized balls. Place in refrigerator.
  5. Place flour in the top of a double boiler. Slowly pour in milk. Add salt. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick (about 5 minutes). Add egg yolks. Continue to whisk constantly until mixture is the consistency of mayonnaise.
  6. Remove from heat. Stir in 6 ounces of chocolate. Set aside to allow chocolate to melt.
  7. Place egg whites and cream of tartar in a large stainless steel bowl. Whip until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar. Continue whipping until firm peaks form. Gently fold whipped whites into warm chocolate mixture.
  8. Place a ball of the chilled chocolate in the center of each ramekin. Spoon the souffle mixture over the chocolate balls, filling to the rim of each ramekin.*
  9. Fill a 9"x 13"x 2" pan about halfway with hot water. Place ramekins in pan. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until souffle has risen and tops are browned. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Notes

*At this stage, you can cover the souffles and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Recipe adapted from Food Network.

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    31 Comments on “Giandua Souffles”

  1. Wow, the souffles look fantastic! Pretty impressive for your first go at souffles.

  2. Oh now that is my dream come true! I love souffles and I love chocolate! Simply irresistible!

  3. Hee, I love the empty ramekin. They look wonderful. I’m glad to know that I can make these ahead of time. I think I’ll give them a try if I can find my ramekins!

  4. You do a great job of photographing molten chocolate without making it look like tar. Is there a lighting trick you’d be willing to share, or does that talent come exclusively with experience?

  5. Thanks, Chuck! I was pretty proud of myself. 🙂

    a. grace, that just about sums it up. In fact, that could have been my entire post.

    Thanks, Meeta! These are great for chocolate lovers, especially those with a fondness for milk chocolate.

    Alicia, I hope you like the souffles! That empty ramekin shot was Quinn’s idea. Cute, huh?

    Thanks, Jessica. Getting that shot was about 85% luck. There were 19 shots taken like that, but this is the one that turned out okay. Besides luck, diffuse light from above and to the right bouncing off a bright white reflector (cut from a cheap project board from a hobby shop) did the trick.

  6. What a beautiful picture! I do a lot of cooking, but, I have never made a souffle, no less a chocolate one. The next time I have a special dinner I’m going to make this. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

  7. I have never made a chocolate souffle, either. I like the idea of being able to keep in the refrigerator & bake later—works great for us single-serving-needs people!

  8. Wonderful! These were absolutely wonderful! Thanks for making these for us to have after our outing for dinner Saturday night. We would never have found anything this good on a restaurant menu I assure you! This one is a keeper. Believe it or not, they warmed up well yesterday. Jim enjoyed the one you sent home with us last night.

    These are really light and were perfect for dessert on a cold night.

  9. Thanks, Charles! Do let me know how you like them.

    JEP, being able to make these ahead was a big selling point for me. I made these for us & company, then the next night I baked the remaining two for us.

    Nan, good to know that they re-heat well.

  10. These would make a perfect Valentine’s Day dessert!

  11. I want it I want it!

  12. This looks so good. I haven’t even finished eating the mascarpone brownies I made yesterday and now I’m going to have to add this one to my to do list of your oh so dangerously delicious recipes.

    And I just bought some ramekins recently and was going to start looking for a recipe, so this is perfect! Thanks.

  13. Inspiring. Souffles are something I want to make this year. Hope they come out looking beautiful like yours did.

  14. JEP, I agree.

    Cindy, I would share if I could!

    Bakerella, I hope you liked the brownies! Have fun making the souffles.

    Thanks, Gretchen! I’m sure your souffles will be beautiful.

  15. What a brave endeavor. I have yet to try a souffle. someday. love the “after” photo.

  16. Jen, just get in there and try it. I was a bit intimidated, but there was honestly nothing hard about this. It took a while, but that’s all. Thanks for the compliment!

  17. You could never tell that was a first attempt, they look delicious!

  18. I read your heading to hastily and thought it read Guanciale Souffle! That would be interesting–but I’m sure Giandua Souffles are tastier!!

  19. Thanks, Brilynn! Either I got very lucky, or the recipe was really simple.

    Clumsy, now that would be an interesting souffle. I do love guanciale, though. 🙂

  20. How perfect! I was just craving a chocolate souffle! You seem to be in tune with my cravings… 🙂

  21. This sounds simply wonderful–a combination of so many great things. And I cannot believe this was a first try!

  22. Thanks, Alejandra and Cakespy!

  23. Your pictures are stunning! I’m now dying to taste your chocolate souffle alalalalala 😉

  24. Thanks, Babeth!

  25. I’m totally craving chocolate tonight and this image practically makes me want to lick the computer screen. Maybe I better go bake some cookies…

  26. wow.. i don’t usually like hazelnut, but this looks crazy good.. hahaha. i love the pic of the empty ramekin at the end.

  27. Thanks for posting this recipe! Yours look absolutely beautiful! After a quick reading through the recipe, I think this is a pretty interesting way of making souffle!

    Like you, I have no interest in watching Food Network! Actually, I have stopped almost completely! I hope the producer(s) do something about it quickly!

  28. I agree with you guys not watching the food network. It’s becoming less of a how to cooking channel to just reality shows and games.

  29. I need you to clarify the amount of chocolate in the recipe. In the ingredients you say 9 oz of chocolate divided. But in the directions you dont say how much its supposed to be divided by.

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