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1
Preheat the oven to 180C (fan 160C)/350F/gas mark 4.
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2
Melt half the butter and use to brush the inside of eight small ramekins.
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3
Tip 25g (1oz) of the caster sugar into one ramekin and tap around the sides to lightly coat.
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4
Pour the excess into the next ramekin and repeat until all the ramekins are butter- and sugar-coated.
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5
Melt the chocolate with the spices, rum, vanilla extract and remaining butter in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (the base of the bowl must not touch the water).
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6
Stir until smooth.
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7
Remove the bowl from the heat and mix the egg yolks in one at a time.
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8
In a large clean bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft, moist-looking peaks.
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9
Mix a little into the chocolate mixture, then gently fold in the rest, using a large metal spoon.
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10
Divide the souffle mixture between the ramekins, spooning it in, and place the ramekins on a baking sheet.
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11
Bake in the preheated oven for exactly 11 minutes.
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12
Delicious served with vanilla custard poured into the centre of each souffle.
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13
Top Tips; these souffles must be cooked just before eating as they will flatten within two minutes of being removed from the oven.
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14
Be careful not to open the oven door during cooking, as this may prevent them from rising.
