Everything there is always a bit more special. The Frozen Cappuccino Soufflé is served in chocolate cups instead of ceramic ramekins, for example.

If you like cappuccino, you’ll surely love this frozen version, an impressive frozen chocolate cup made of bittersweet chocolate and filled with frosty and frothy espresso soufflé. It’s a sweet dessert, but still light on the palate.

It’s a special dessert, and a Father’s Day treat for a coffee and chocolate loving dad.

Using a double boiler helps prevent the chocolate from burning. If you don’t have one, you can rig a simple double boiler with other tools in your kitchen:

Just place the chocolate in a small saucepan and nest it in a larger saucepan partially filled with boiling water. To warm the egg yolks, you can simulate a double boiler by using a stainless-steel bowl and a saucepan in which the bowl fits snugly on top.

Ingredients For 8 Servings

Preparation

1. FILL the bottom of a double boiler with enough water to reach the bottom of the top pan and insert the top pan. (Alternatively, fill a saucepan with enough water to reach the bottom of a smaller saucepan nested inside or a stainless-steel bowl fit snugly over the top and insert the small saucepan or bowl.) Bring the water to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Do not let the water boil vigorously.

2. PLACE the bittersweet chocolate in the top bowl of the double boiler and heat, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula, until the chocolate is thoroughly melted and smooth. Maintain a gentle simmer to prevent the chocolate from hardening.

3. PLACE one of the paper cups on its side on a clean work surface. Using a soup spoon or a tablespoon, carefully spoon about 1 tablespoon of the melted chocolate into the cup and carefully roll and tip the cup to coat the sides, but leaving a 1/2 inch/12 mm rim uncoated at the mouth of the cup.

5. COMBINE in a medium bowl 1 cup/240 ml of the cream and the espresso powder. Using an electric mixer, beat until soft peaks form, 1–2 minutes. Set aside.

6. PLACE the top pan of a clean double boiler on a work surface. In the bottom of the double boiler, bring about 1 in/2.5 cm water to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. In the top half of the double boiler, combine the 4 egg yolks, the whole egg, and the 3/4 cup/150 g sugar. Whisk to blend, then place over the simmering water. (Alternatively, bring about 1 in/2.5 cm of water to a simmer in a saucepan. Combine the eggs and sugar in a stainless-steel bowl and nest the bowl snugly over the top of the saucepan.) Cook, whisking gently and constantly, for 10 minutes. The mixture will become frothy. Remove from the heat and set aside.

7. STIR together in a small bowl, using a fork, the gelatin with 2–3 tablespoons hot water. It should become thick and sticky. Scrape the gelatin into the egg-yolk mixture and whisk vigorously to mix well.

8. BEAT the egg whites in a clean large bowl with the 2 tablespoons sugar, using the electric mixer and clean beaters until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg-gelatin mixture into the egg whites. Fold in the espresso whipped cream.

9. REMOVE the frozen chocolate-coated paper cups from the freezer. Using a ladle or measuring cup, pour the soufflé base into the cups, filling each to the rim. Return the filled cups to the freezer and freeze until the soufflés are firm to the touch, 3–4 hours. (You can freeze the soufflés for up to 48 hours, but they will lose their lightness, with the consistency changing to something more akin to ice cream.)

10. SERVE: Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup/120 ml cream until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Set aside. Remove the frozen cappuccino cups from the freezer. Carefully insert the tip of a paring knife into the side the each paper cup, just above the bottom. Gently pry open and tear off the bottoms of the cup, then peel away the sides of each cup to reveal the frozen, molded chocolate. Place a cappuccino cup on each of 8 small dessert plates. Top each with a small dollop of whip cream and sprinkle with the grated chocolate. Serve at once.
 
Find more delicious recipes on the Chandon.com website and in the restaurant’s cookbook, Domaine Chandon Cookbook: Recipes from Étoile Restaurant, by Jeff Morgan.