Box Brownie Soufflé

I was craving a CPK brownie soufflé. The only resturaunt I order dessert at (I'm such a cheapskate) ...and ask for them to bring it out like an appetizer. 

Well, I have no idea where one is around here. Does MN even have them?! They have everything, they have to have a California Pizza Kitchen...well, whatever, I'm sure we have one and it's too far away. 

I digress. I wanted a brownie soufflé. Soufflé sounds French for difficult. So I googled - no, pinterested - easy recipes. I finally adapted one to be made from a brownie box mix - like the one I got on sale for $0.98 this week. Score.

Here's how you do it:

Follow the directions on the box. Except the eggs. That's key. 

Mix the oil, water a and mix together. It's going to look thick. The first time we made this Husband mixed the batter and I kept asking him if he forgot something. Which he's a by the recipe guy, so I really shouldn't have questioned.

In another bowl add the eggs. You're going to use one more egg than suggested and just use the egg whites. Whip them up like you're making a meringue - which I've never done...so whip the eggs for a few minutes until they're a little stiff. They'll be super airy and will make the brownie light and airy too. 

Fold the eggs into the batter. Is didn't really know what that meant. I kind of got it, but did a search to be safe. It's exactly like it sounds, keep folding the batter over the eggs. Don't stir. You want to keep the fluffiness you created by whipping the eggs. When I realized the why I understood the technique.

You can use a ramekin or a regular pan. Your choice. I used Pyrex glass Tupperware cause I only have three ramekins and we had four people over and things must match and be cute. I oiled and floured my Pyrex - this makes getting the soufflé out a breeze. 

Mix the flour around so it'd evenly coated on every side and pour out the excess. Then evenly disperse the batter. Lick the spatula. That's part of it. 

Bake. 

At 350. 

The time will depend entirely on the size of dish you decide to use. The Pyrex took around 35 minutes. If the dishes are smaller, bake less time. If they're bigger, bake longer. Test with a fork, when it comes out clean they're ready. 

Let them cool ten minutes and take out of pan. Take a knife and cut around the perimeter of the soufflé and dump it out. 

To make it like CPK you need the sauce. I'm still working on perfecting it. This time I used whipping cream, a little vanilla and sugar. I whipped it until it just started to get thick - the consistency of hot fudge rather than whipping cream you'd put on a pie. 

Enjoy.