This simple chocolate souffle can be cooked up in sturdy, ovenproof teacups, saving you the fiddly job of preparing souffle dishes with paper collars.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons ground almonds, hazelnuts or breadcrumbs
• 125 grams Energy chocolate
• ½ cup filter or plunger coffee
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoons vanilla essence
• 5 egg whites
• ¼ cup caster sugar
• icing sugar to dust with

Dense chocolate sauce

• 125 grams Energy chocolate
• ½ cup cream
• ¼ cup rum or favourite liqueur

Method

1. Grease the inside of 6 cups with butter and sprinkle with ground almonds, hazelnuts or breadcrumbs (this gives the souffle to cling to as it rises up the sides of the cup).
2. Chop the chocolate roughtly and place into a glass bowl with the coffee. Heat in the microwave or on top of a double boiler for about 2 minutes and then stir to mix together. Be careful not to overheat if you're using a microwave - it is possible to burn chocolate.
3. Beat the egg yolks very quickly so they don't scramble. The heat will cook the yolks and you will see the chocolate chicken. Stir in the vanilla essence. You can prepare up to this point in advance and finish the last stage after everyone has eaten the main course. Then you can relax for 15 minutes while the souffles cook.
4. Beat the egg whites in a scrupulously clean bowl until stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is thick and meringue-like. Fold into the cooled chocolate mixture.
5. Divide the mixture evenly between the 6 cups. It should come three-quarters of the way up the cup - any further and it will spill over the edge. Stand on a baking tray for easy carrying.
6. Bake at the top of a 200ºC oven for 15 minutes or until the souffles are well-risen and wobble slightly when shaken. If they wobble too violently, then they are not cooked. If they stand still, then they are overcooked.
7. Serve dusted with icing sugar and accompanied by Dense Chocolate Sauce. Once the sauce is poured in, the souffles will collapse, but they'll still taste great.

Dense chocolate sauce

1. Chop the chocolate roughly and place in a heatproof glass bowl or jug with the cream. Heat in a microwave for about 2 minutes on full power, or place the bowl over the top of a saucepan of simmering water. Stir the melted chocolate and cream together. Pour in the rum or liqueur and keep it warm.