Chocolate Souffle Cakes

 


Soufflé Chocolate Cake

 

Ingredients
6 oz. unsalted butter, plus more for buttering the molds
6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped  
6 large eggs
1/3 cup sugar
2 Tbsp.  All-purpose flour
Preparation
Put the butter and chocolate in a medium bowl or Pyrex cups and melt it in the microwave 1 ½ -2 minutes. Stir well to combine and until melted. 

Crack 3 eggs into a bowl, and add 3 more yolks (discard the extra whites). Add the sugar, and beat or whisk until light and thick, about 1 minute.  Add egg mixture and flour to the melted chocolate; beat until combined. 

With nonstick cooking spray, spray  6x 6-ounce molds or ramekins (make sure not to miss any spots, or the cakes will stick). Divide the batter among the molds. (At this point you can refrigerate them for up to 24 hours; just bring them back to room temperature before baking.) 

When you’re ready to bake, heat the oven to 425°F. Put the molds on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the cakes have puffed up a bit, the tops are barely set and the cakes still jiggle slightly when shaken, 7 to 9 minutes (better under baked than over baked). Let sit for 1 minute. 

Put a plate on top of the ramekin and (with a potholder to protect your hand) carefully invert the cake onto the plate. Let it sit for 10 seconds, then lift up the ramekin. Serve immediately, with ice cream, sorbet or whipped cream.

YIELD 6 servings
Originally published with Operation: Mother’s Day NYTIMES
By MARK BITTMAN Jacques Torres

 

 

 

There is a great need for this no-knead bread

No-Knead Rustic Bread

Ingredients
3 ½ -4 cups bread flour, divided
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ¾ cup water

Procedure

1.    Combine 3 cups flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl.  Add water and stir until blended, dough will be shaggy and sticky.  Cover with plastic and rest 12 to 18 hours at room temperature.  It is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles.

2.    Turn the dough out onto a floured board, flour the top, and fold the dough over itself once or twice.   Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands, quickly shape into a ball.  Place a flat-weave (not terry) towel on a sheet pan and sprinkle with flour.  Put dough seam-side down on the towel.  Cover generously with more flour. Rise dough for 30 minutes to 1 hour until the dough does not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

1.    At least 30 minutes before the dough is done rising put a 5-6 quart covered Dutch oven (cast iron or enamel) in the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F. When dough is ready, slide you hand under the bottom towel and gently flip the dough into the pre-heated pot, seam-side up.  Shake the pot to position the dough in the center.  Cover the pot and bake for 25 minutes.  Uncover and bake about 10-15 minutes or until golden and crusty.

 

Adapted from the NY Times

My Favorite Lobster Rolls

Lobster Rolls
Yield: Makes 2 servings/6 sliders

Ingredients
Cooked lobster meat, from a 1 ¼- 1 ½ lb. lobster, cut into bite-size pieces
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. lemon juice and zest
2 Tbsp. minced celery
Cracked pepper and sea salt, to taste
1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
2 top-split New England style rolls
        or
6 Martins mini potato rolls

Method
1.    Combine lobster meat, mayonnaise, lemon juice and zest, celery and cracked pepper and sea salt in medium bowl. 

2.    Butter outside surfaces of hot dog rolls or inside of slider rolls. Heat medium non- stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place rolls, buttered side down, in skillet; cook until browned slightly, about 1 minute per side. Open rolls. Fill each with half of the lobster mixture, and serve.

 


Note:  1 ½ lb. lobster yield was between 6 and 7 ounces cleaned meat