Chocolate Souffle

Today felt like a baking day, but not just an ordinary baking day... I wanted to make something more involved than cookies or cornbread. But I also wanted to make something lowfat (coming home from college is really where the freshman 15 threaten to attack!), which I didn't think would end up being something chocolate. But then I found, on another blog, a recipe for lowfat chocolate souffles! I thought souffles sounded fun, so I made them. They just got out... and oh, they're so good! It's a wonderful recipe that doesn't taste at all low far or low calorie, but it is :) Mmm! They were also really simple, and took me just over a half an hour to get into the oven. Here's the recipe:

5 t. sugar for ramekins (optional)
1 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
2 T. flour
1/2 c. lowfat milk
4 egg whites
2 egg yolks
1/8 t. cream of tartar
3 T + 1 t. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

(1) Move oven rack to lower third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Spray ramekins (1-cup size: 8 ramekins) with cooking spray and sugar cups, like flouring a pan.

(2) Sift powdered sugar, cocoa, and flour into top of a double boiler (two pans of the same size, stacked, with water in the bottom one works wel) and stir in milk and 1/2 cup water. Whisk until smooth. Cook over gently simmering water, whisking continuously, for about 10 minutes or until it thickens. Remove from heat.

(3) Beat the egg whites with cream of tartar on medium speed until medium peaks form. Gradually sprinkle sugar in and beat on high speed until stiff but not dry.

(4) Whisk the egg yolks and vanilla into chocolate mixture. Fold about a quarter of the egg whites in, to lighten, then fold in the rest.

(5) Divide evenly among the cups, leaving 1/4 inch under rims. Put ramekins on a baking sheet and bake 15-17 minutes, until risen (well) above rims. [You can add 1/3 cup chocolate chips to the batter along with the egg whites, without adding too much to these! Mmm!]