Chocolate Souffail
Monday, March 23, 2009 at 12:00PM There comes a time in a man's life where it pays off to have a large muscle imbalance between his two arms. It's for this time, where all those long hours of one handed work pay off. Sure I go to the gym regularly, but if it weren't for ultimate frisbee building a strong throwing arm, I never would have survived the [egg] beating.
Five minutes for a stand mixer, 15 for hand-held. After 20 minutes with a whisk, I realize that I can't compete with today's technology. Don't think the eggs and sugar have tripled in volume- almost looks like they've lost some. Not a good start to warm chocolate soufflé cakes with cardamom cream.
;)
Cacahuates EnchipotladosI look around the room to see what every one else is up to. They look so happy- the prepared snacks don't totally suck. Can always rely on fresh, homemade salsa and guacamole to please. Made a quick batch of roasted garlic hummus to remind the world I can do more than Mexican food too. I even broke two rules with the cacahuates enchipotlados, or chipotle roasted nuts. First violation being [loosely] following a recipe (baking is the exception to the rule), and the second is making something for guests that I haven't made myself first. I saw them on PBS- why not?
As happy as this food (and booze) makes everyone, I know what they really want. They want something sweet- to give in to the kryptonite- chocolate.
It's been a year since my last chocolate battle with flourless cakes. Still carry the scars of that defeat. The lingering pain sparks an idea of what I need to succeed. I need a woman. There's no way a cake won't rise for a woman. A spoonful of ganache later and I have a faithful companion to ensure victory.
I'm not the kind of jerk host who is going to subject her to the same physical anguish I'm going through, attempting an impossible beating task. But I could use some help with the special never-before-used ingredient, cardamom. The whole reason I'm doing this recipe is because the fine chaps at Marx Foods sent me some in a collection of quality fresh spices.
;)
Whole cardamomMy shining hope starts with the Flinstonian task of preparing the cardamom. Don't have a spice grinder, so the mortar and pestle comes out. This is executed perfectly until we discover the seeds of the cardamom. I thought those green things were seeds. I thought they just got ground up and that was it. I grab a green vessel and chew on it. Light flavor. Incredibly fibrous. Can't break through it. All the green pods get thrown out.
Still not getting anywhere with the eggs. I resort to the immersion blender. This act introduces a lot of bubbles to the sugar and eggs. Bubbles count as volume, right? Have to stop holding up the show. Preheat the oven to 350 Dg and fold the eggs with the chocolate ganache. Wait, that's wrong. Preheat to 300 Dg. Would have messed that up without the help. And then what would have happened? Women need chocolate damnit, statim.
While the 3/4 filled ramekins are feeling the heat, I make the whipped cream. Cup of heavy whipping cream, tablespoon of sugar, and teaspoon of cardamom. I like to think I can handle this one. I get another metal whisk out of the freezer and get to work. Pulled this off for the salmon tartare so at least I know it's feasible.
The crowd roars for more volume, more fluff out of the cream. Once again, I let the immersion blender decide fate. This time, it works. I always wondered if I could whip cream with the blade attachment on an immersion blender. Success.
The bottom of the recommended baking [time] range is met. Toothpick comes out for testing. Toothpick drowns. Nothing is set at all- could throw the ramekins back like a shot. Johnnie calms me down. Five more minutes. The top is kinda sorta set. I mean, from 10 feet away it looks set.
;)
Chocolate SouffailTime is out. Seven go back in to where eight had come out. The cardamom cream comes out of the fridge to accompany the chocolate soup. Whipped cream tastes great. Melts really fast on top of the hot chocolate. The soup tastes decent for what it is- terrible for what it should be.
Got greedy trying to be successful with two first time recipes on one night. Trailing flourless cakes 0-2 now. Two recipes resulting in two soups.
As I start to wonder if my oven isn't calibrated, or if I'm so unlucky that baking fails even when female aid is involved, a guest approaches. "Can I have one?" They're not set. "I don't care- it's so good!" Can't say no to that. Maybe I can chalk this one up as a tie.
Cacahuates Enchipotlados, Cardamom, Chocolate, Marx Foods, Ramekin, Souffle in Adventure, Recipe 
Reader Comments (8)
Mmm chocolate soup!
well i thought it was good. puffy things are overrated ... just like puffy people. that's why i only had one bite.
Lol Cardamom fail...I used to shuck cardamom seeds for my ma when I was younger, so I knew what to do -_-
I agree with your first comment. Just change the name and no one will notice. Warm chocolate lava lake? I think it's a potential winner. Laughed at your calling minestrone "cliche". I don't think of food that way.
I think you made a perfectly charming chocolate dessert. Maybe I shouldn't ask, but did you intend the "one-handed work" comment as a double entendre? GREG
Jeff/Joie that could be the single greatest piece of marketing genius I've heard to date. After another 30 or so in the oven they did eventually solidify into some sort of pudding, but far from a cake. Upon further investigation, I did add an extra cup of ganache to the recipe... Oops. Still, I have this feeling my oven isn't calibrated and the last time I did a flourless cake was even more of a disaster.
Mimi I think marshmallows are a good counter argument.
Aashay that is just cheating. I don't think there is even a Polish word for cardamom. And Greg I'd never do such a thing...
Oh, for some reason I thought I had commented...see there I have admitted to being over worked this week, and less blogs...
What a beautiful piece of dessert! I actually branched out with one this weekend. This sounds just up my alley with the cardamom and chocolate...and you just reminded me I have that same blender still in the box, shhhhh do not tell hubby, he thinks I use everything!
24! Really???? Did you have to tell me that? I have underpants older than you. GREG