Chocolate Peanut Butter Souffles

We had to travel to Southern California this weekend for a cheer competition.  After listening to the Boom-Boom Pow of the competition for hours on end, it was late and we were starving.  There was this really nice looking steak place down the street from our hotel, and we decided to have dinner there.

One look at the menu and the prices and I about fell over.  I actually told my husband I wanted to leave, he didn't, so we stayed, and I tried to enjoy a salad and a petite steak complete with old lettuce and overly garlicky dressing I might add.  He just gave me the look he always does,;you know that "really" look.  I never thought I'd say this, but would a little salt on the food have killed them. Despite our waiters' best sales effort to push dessert on us, I said, "No thanks".  Why, because the dessert I really wanted was a chocolate souffle and after not loving my food I told my husband, "I can make a better one at home"! He hates when I do that, just thought you might want to know that.

Besides I needed an excuse to use the super cute teaspoons my sister gave me as a hostess gift at her birthday party!

Chocolate Souffle

8 ozs. Milk chocolate, chopped (I buy big bars of it at Trader Joe's.)

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole milk (I was out and used 1% and it worked fine.)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

4 large eggs separated, put the 4 whites in 1 bowl and 3 yolks in another and set aside 1 yolk

1/4 cup granulated sugar

8 mini peanut butter cups (optional)

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Butter 8 (6 oz.) ramekins and put a little sugar inside and swirl it around and dump out excess, set all the ramekins on a baking sheet.

3. In a clean mixer bowl, whip the 4 egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, then pour in 1/4-cup sugar and beat until stiff.  Set aside.

4. Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler.  Which is just a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

5. Melt butter in small saucepan, add flour and whisk well.  Cook 1 minute, then add milk and cook for 1 minute or so until thickened.  Add this to the melted chocolate.

6. Add egg yolks to chocolate mixture.  Whisk well.  Then fold in beaten egg whites.

7. Pour the chocolate batter into ramekins about 2/3 full.  I dropped in a surprise, some heart shaped peanut butter cups I had on hand.  Then prepare peanut butter souffle mixture.

Peanut Butter Souffle

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole milk

2 large eggs separated

1/8 cup granulated sugar

1. In a clean bowl of mixer, whip the 2 egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form, then pour in sugar and beat until stiff.  Set aside.

2. Melt the peanut butter in the top of a double boiler.  Which is just a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

3. Melt butter in small saucepan, add flour, whisk well.  Cook 1 minute, then add milk and cook for 1 minute or so until thickened.  Add this to the melted peanut butter.

4. Add egg yolks to peanut butter mixture.  Whisk well.  Then fold in beaten egg whites.  I found whisking in part of the whites first works better because the peanut butter is denser and then fold in the rest.

5. I spooned this mixture on top of the chocolate mixture and it sunk down, creating an upside down effect, because the peanut butter souffle mixture is heavier.

6. Bake for 15-18 minutes. You can eat these warm or put them in the fridge, just pop them in the microwave for a few when you are ready for one.

In my own defense, I'm not a bad dining partner or a food critic when I go out!  (Well at least not all the time anyways.)  You will have to try these for yourself and give me your food critic opinion.  Does paying a lot of money for so-so food bother you?

Enjoy,

Gina