Chocolate Grand Marnier Souffle

A chocolate souffle without eggs sounds impossible, but tofu pulls it off. Firm tofu blended until silky in a food processor with cocoa, honey, melted chocolate chips, Grand Marnier, and soy milk creates a batter dense enough to puff in the oven without a single whipped egg white.

The baking powder does the lifting work that egg whites normally handle. Combined with the moisture in the tofu and soy milk, it creates enough rise during the 40-minute bake to get that signature souffle dome. It won’t be as dramatically tall as a classic French souffle, but it puffs, it’s impressive, and it tastes intensely chocolatey.

Grand Marnier adds an orange warmth that pairs with chocolate the way few other flavors can. Cointreau works as a substitute if that’s what you have. Either way, the orange liqueur lifts the chocolate out of one-dimensional territory.

Double chocolate (chips plus cocoa powder) gives this souffle real depth. The chips melt into a fudgy richness while the cocoa adds a drier, more bitter chocolate backbone.

Chef Tips

• Blend the tofu until completely smooth with no visible curds. Any texture in the base will show up in the finished souffle.
• Melt the chocolate chips over hot water, not in the microwave. Gentle melting prevents scorching and keeps the chocolate silky.
• Serve within 5 minutes of pulling from the oven. Like all souffles, this one deflates as it cools.
• Very lightly oil the souffle dish. Too much oil and the batter can’t grip the sides to climb.

Variations

• Kahlua version: Swap Grand Marnier for Kahlua for a mocha-flavored souffle.
• Carob alternative: Replace chocolate chips with carob chips for a caffeine-free option (as the recipe suggests).