Chocolate souffles with coffee liqueur sauce

Brush the bases of six 125mls (1/2-cup), 9cm diameter (top measurement) ovenproof coffee cups or ramekins with butter and then use upward strokes to grease the sides.

Place in the freezer for 5 minutes to set butter. Brush again with remaining butter. Add the 2 tablespoons of caster sugar to 1 cup or ramekin. Rotate cup or ramekin to coat the inside with sugar. Turn cup or ramekin upside down and gently tap so the sugar falls into the next cup or ramekin. Repeat with the remaining cups or ramekins.

To make the chocolate sauce mixture, place the extra sugar in a medium heat-resistant bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until foaming. Add cocoa powder and flour and stir with a whisk for 1 minute or until roux leaves side of pan and is bubbling. Remove pan from heat. Add 1/2 the milk while stirring with the whisk. Stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth. Gradually stir in remaining milk.

Stir constantly over medium heat until sauce thickens and comes to the boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.

Pour hot sauce into bowl with sugar and mix with a whisk until smooth.

Preheat oven to 180°C. Place 1 oven shelf in bottom position and remove all other shelves. Place a large baking tray in oven.

Add the egg yolks to the chocolate sauce mixture and mix thoroughly. Add the chopped chocolate and mix until combined.

Place all egg whites in a clean medium mixing bowl. Use clean electric beaters to whisk egg whites until soft peaks form.

Spoon about 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate sauce mixture and use a spatula or large metal spoon to fold the egg whites through mixture until just combined. Pour the chocolate mixture into side of bowl containing the remaining egg whites and fold in with the spatula or large metal spoon until just combined. Pour into prepared cups or ramekins. Gently smooth tops with a spatula.

Place cups or ramekins on baking tray in preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make coffee liqueur sauce, place cream, sugar and coffee in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar and coffee dissolve. Remove from heat and add Tia Maria. Pour into a warmed serving jug to keep warm.

When ready, the souffles should be well risen and wobble slightly when cups or ramekins are tapped. If you are still unsure, test with a skewer through side of souffle - it should come out clean and slightly moist.

Dust with extra cocoa powder and serve immediately with some of the coffee liqueur sauce poured into a hole poked into the top of each souffle.