Dark chocolate soufflé

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas 7.

2. Gently heat the milk and chocolate liquor together in a small pan.

3. In a separate, heavy-based pan, melt the butter.

4. Once the butter has melted, stir in the flour, cornflour and cocoa.

5. Stir in the milk and chocolate liquor and then stir in the chocolate and finally the egg yolks, adding them one by one. Remove from direct heat.

6. In a mixing bowl or food processor, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add in the caster sugar a little at a time and whisk until stiff.

7. Place two tablespoons of the chocolate mixture in a round-bottomed bowl, then carefully fold in around 8 tablespoons of the whisked egg white. Fold in the remaining chocolate mixture.

8. Soak the chocolate sponge slices briefly in the liquor.

9. Spoon half the chocolate mixture into a buttered, sugared soufflé dish.

10. Layer over the soaked chocolate sponge slices.

11. Spoon the remaining chocolate mixture over the sponge layer. Smooth the top with a palette knife.

12. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes.

13. Dust with cocoa powder and serve at once with chocolate sauce.