• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

½ cup sugar

½ cup heavy cream

1. Melt the chocolate with the cocoa powder in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and becomes difficult to stir.

2. Remove from the heat; continue to stir, and add the sugar. Return the bowl to the pan of simmering water. Heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is smooth. Add the cream; stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Let cool completely. The sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day; before using, warm the sauce in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water until pourable.

chocolate soufflé

SERVES 6

With its chewy exterior and warm, puddinglike center, this dessert might be considered the more refined cousin of molten cake. With or without crème anglaise, it’s a showstopper.

Unsalted butter, melted, for dish

½ cup sugar, plus more for dusting

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

11/3 cups milk

6 large egg yolks plus 8 large egg whites, room temperature

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons brandy (optional)

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Salt

Pinch of cream of tartar (if not using a copper bowl)

Crème Anglaise (Basics)

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F, with a rack in the lower third. Do not open the oven door until ready to bake. Brush the outer lip of a 2-quart soufflé dish with melted butter. Tie a sheet of parchment around the dish with kitchen twine. Brush the inside of the dish and collar with melted butter. Dust with sugar; tap out excess. Chill the dish in the freezer 15 minutes.

2. Stir the chocolates in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until smooth. Scald the milk in a saucepan over medium heat; remove from heat. Using an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat 6 tablespoons sugar and the yolks on high speed until pale, about 4 minutes. On low speed, beat in the flour. Beat in half the hot milk, ladling it in a little at time.

3. Whisk the mixture into the pan of hot milk; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking. Reduce heat to low; simmer until thick, about 2 minutes. Pour into the chocolate. Stir in the brandy (if desired), the vanilla, and a pinch of salt.

4. Using a balloon whisk, beat the egg whites and a pinch of salt in a copper bowl until foamy. (Or beat with an electric mixer in a stainless-steel bowl with cream of tartar.) Add 1 tablespoon sugar; beat until the whites almost hold stiff peaks. Add the remaining tablespoon sugar, and beat until the peaks are stiff.

5. Spoon one-third of the egg whites onto the base. Fold them in: Cut through the center of the mixture with a large rubber spatula, then gently turn the spatula over. Rotate the bowl a quarter-turn; continue folding in the whites and turning the bowl until mostly combined. Fold the remaining whites into the base, one-third at a time.

6. Pour the mixture into the prepared dish. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375°F; bake until set, 20 minutes. Remove the collar; serve immediately with crème anglaise, if desired.

sweet potato flan

MAKES ONE 1-INCH FLAN

We made this flan in a 4-cup savarin mold, but a 9 × 2-inch round cake pan or a 9-inch glass pie plate can be used as well.

2 sweet potatoes (1¼ pounds)

1¾ cups sugar

¼ cup water

¼ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¾ teaspoon coarse salt

5 large whole eggs

2 large egg yolks

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 cups milk, scalded

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet, and roast until very soft, about 1 hour. Allow to cool. Peel off the skin, and discard. Place the sweet potatoes in the bowl of a food processor, and puree until completely smooth. Measure 1½ cups puree, reserving any excess for another use. This step may be done 1 day ahead.

2. Reduce the oven to 325°F. Combine 1 cup sugar and the water in a small saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar