Two words: chocolate, soufflé.

Metaphysically, chocolate soufflé exists on this planet for the sole purpose of being eaten by two. It is soft, silky, and decadent. I know, it is the middle of the summer. Days are long and hot, but chocolate is not seasonal. Neither is soufflé. Sharing a delicious dessert with someone special is priceless, no matter what time of the year.

Mark Bittman’s recipe is this soufflé’s inspiration. It is the easiest soufflé recipe I have found yet. No matter what your baking experience is, you will find it fun to make and eat.

• 2 eggs
• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ cup of sugar (plus a tablespoon for coating the soufflé dish)
• 1 pinch of salt
• butter (about a tablespoon)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Separate eggs into two bowls. Make sure not to contaminate the egg whites with the yolks, as the fat in the yolk will prevent the whites from rising. Butter a small to medium soufflé dish. Sprinkle enough sugar to coat the whole interior of the dish. Place prepared soufflé dish in the freezer.

Over a double boiler melt chocolate, cocoa powder and cinnamon. Set aside to cool. On a stand mixer, beat egg yokes on high speed for 3-4 minutes. Add a tablespoon of sugar at a time until half the sugar has been incorporated. Keep whipping egg yokes until they turn thick and are pale yellow. Fold chocolate mixture into egg yolks.

In a clean bowl, using the stand mixer, whip egg whites at medium high speed until soft peaks form. Add a tablespoon at a time of the remaining sugar to the egg white mixture, while continuing to mix. Add salt.  Continue beating until stiff peaks form, this can take as long as 7-8 minutes. In order to test the stiffness of the egg whites you can scoop some into a spoon. If it slides out of the spoon it is not ready. Otherwise, it is ready to be folded into the chocolate mixture. Do not over mix! If the eggs turn to liquid, you have over mixed.

Folding is a technique used to incorporate batter into beaten egg whites without deflating them. Take a couple of tablespoon of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate batter bowl, and mix by cutting through the middle of the foam and scooping some of the batter from the bottom of the bowl around the foam. The repetition of this step will slowly incorporate the batter into the foam without deflating the bubbles. Make sure the chocolate batter is well incorporated into the beaten egg whites.

Pour mixture into the prepared soufflé dish in order to fill it ¾ of the way up. The batter needs room to grow. With your finger, wipe a well around the edge of the soufflé. Place on top of a baking sheet, and place in preheated oven. Bake for 17-20 minutes.

Devour immediately. Enjoy!

* you can prepare the batter up to 30 minutes before placing in oven. It can bake while you are enjoying dinner, and it will be ready as soon as you are done.