Hot Chocolate Souffle

Place a pizza stone on lower oven rack to ensure even heating.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter and then lightly sugar four stoneware ramekins or one 4-cup souffle dish.

(To easily sugar the dish, cover the top with plastic wrap after putting some sugar in and shake it around until lightly coated.).

Mix 1/4 cup sugar, 1/3 cup baking cocoa and 3 tablespoons flour in saucepan.

Add 3/4 milk, and heat over medium-high heat, STIRRING CONTINUOUSLY,until cocoa mixture starts to bubble. **Very important to stir continuously!**.

Remove from heat.

Beat egg yolks with a whisk; Beat 1/3 of the cocoa mixture into the egg yolks.

Very slowly stir in the rest of the cocoa mixture. DO NOT DUMP IT IN ALL AT ONCE.

Stir in butter and vanilla.

Set aside and let cool slightly.

Beat 3 egg whites, 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar and salt together with an electric mixer until foamy.

With beater still going, add 2 tablespoons of sugar, one tablespoon at a time until eggs are glossy.

Continue to beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Stir 1/4 of the egg whites into the cocoa/egg yolk mixture.

Divide the remaining egg whites into thirds, carefully folding each third in one at a time with a spatula until just mixed. DO NOT OVER MIX!

Pour batter into dishes, place in oven and bake for 1 hour. DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DOOR DURING BAKING TIME.

After 1 hour, if souffles do not look quite done, continue cooking for another 5 -10 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve immediately as is, or topped with whipped cream, powered sugar, Gran Marnier, fresh raspberries (or another topping of your choice).