february 2007 - it was going to be our first valentine, so i spent the week approaching the 14th planning on what i am going to do for shawn. i looked and looked for recipes, but during that time i wasn't so familiar with kitchen yet. i was still trying to learn. i just learned how to cook rice in the rice cooker without it being too dry or soupy. i really wanted to do something special, but i didn't want to venture on anything that would require too much work. basically, i didn't want it to be too stressful. besides, i had to bring all of whatever it is i am making to sacramento. a good 45 minute drive from where i lived.
i found a recipe that looked so good, so pretty, so rich and sinful. but i am only judging of from its looks. it was a airy, dark and poof-y chocolate souffle. i have had a few souffles from restaurants, but obviously, i haven't tried making it yet, since i just passed the rice cooking milestone of my cooking career.
i read the recipe and saw the last part of most recipes saying that it should be served as soon as it comes out of the oven. so, that was out of the question and to think i even bought heart-shaped ramekins. i got frustrated with my discovery, so i ended up buying all the food, even the dessert. then i started telling myself that it's the thought that counts and it was still going to be a great first valentine.
i drove down to the safeway gas station next to the l&l hawaiian barbecue where shawn works during that time to fill up. as i closed the door of my car, i didn't hear any jingling in my pocket and that only means one thing... i left my keys inside. i didn't have a spare with me, so i had to call triple a to get my car unlocked. i was in a panic because shawn was gonna get off in a couple of hours and i didn't know how long it was gonna take for the locksmith to get there.
the locksmith came about 45 minutes later and it was a good thing shawn's house was only a couple miles away from where i was at. i drove down as fast as i can and picked up a few things at his house, lay out his clothes i wanted him to ware and wrote a small note telling him to walk to the park as i will be waiting for him there - good thing his roommates are home. i drove behind their house set up the table and asked one his roommates to pick shawn up from work. a few minutes after i lit up the candles,i saw shawn walking with a smile and i knew he was surprised. the food suddenly didn't matter anymore. i just wanted to spend the cold valentine's night with him at the park and just talk.
a few years later, i found out that shawn wasn't into custard-y desserts, so it wouldn't have been so fun if i did do that souffle that night. it wasn't until now that i tried making souffle. i slightly overcooked it to get a different texture and shawn surprisingly liked it.
how was that for a first valentine? stressful, yes. how was yours?
i read the recipe and saw the last part of most recipes saying that it should be served as soon as it comes out of the oven. so, that was out of the question and to think i even bought heart-shaped ramekins. i got frustrated with my discovery, so i ended up buying all the food, even the dessert. then i started telling myself that it's the thought that counts and it was still going to be a great first valentine.
i drove down to the safeway gas station next to the l&l hawaiian barbecue where shawn works during that time to fill up. as i closed the door of my car, i didn't hear any jingling in my pocket and that only means one thing... i left my keys inside. i didn't have a spare with me, so i had to call triple a to get my car unlocked. i was in a panic because shawn was gonna get off in a couple of hours and i didn't know how long it was gonna take for the locksmith to get there.
the locksmith came about 45 minutes later and it was a good thing shawn's house was only a couple miles away from where i was at. i drove down as fast as i can and picked up a few things at his house, lay out his clothes i wanted him to ware and wrote a small note telling him to walk to the park as i will be waiting for him there - good thing his roommates are home. i drove behind their house set up the table and asked one his roommates to pick shawn up from work. a few minutes after i lit up the candles,i saw shawn walking with a smile and i knew he was surprised. the food suddenly didn't matter anymore. i just wanted to spend the cold valentine's night with him at the park and just talk.a few years later, i found out that shawn wasn't into custard-y desserts, so it wouldn't have been so fun if i did do that souffle that night. it wasn't until now that i tried making souffle. i slightly overcooked it to get a different texture and shawn surprisingly liked it.
how was that for a first valentine? stressful, yes. how was yours?
chocolate souffle
ingredients:
3 tbsp butter + extra for greasing ramekins
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa + extra for dusting ramekins
3 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites
2 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt
pinch of cream of tartar
instructions:
1. preheat oven to 375 degrees F. butter two 8 oz ramekins and coat them with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.
2. in a large bowl, melt chocolate and butter in a microwave in 30 second intervals stirring in between until melted and smooth.
3. add vanilla into the melted chocolate and whisk in yolks until smooth. set aside.
4. in another large bowl or in your stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk egg whited until foamy then add cream of tartar, salt and sugar. then continue whisking until egg whites are doubled in volume.
5. gently fold egg whites into the melted chocolate mixture 2 additions. do this carefully as to not deflate the whipped egg whites.
6. pour batter into ramekins and bake for 2o minutes (for custard-y texture and add another 5-7 for a firmer feel). serve immediately.
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