This holiday season, indulge in the decadent, airy delight of a classic chocolate soufflé with a modern twist, peppermint white chocolate ganache. This recipe combines the timeless elegance of a soufflé with the innovative use of xanthan gum, an ingredient that ensures the perfect texture and stable structure. Xanthan gum enhances the structure of the soufflé and helps maintain its rise, giving you a dessert that’s as impressive to look at as it is to taste. So, whether you’re a seasoned baker or a culinary enthusiast, this chocolate soufflé with peppermint white chocolate ganache promises a flawless finish every time. Makes four servings.

Peppermint White Chocolate Ganache
1 cup heavy cream
5 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
½ teaspoon peppermint extract

Souffle
1/2 stick unsalted butter, plus more for greasing ramekins
2 tbsp granulated sugar, plus more for coating the ramekins
¼ tsp salt
2 cups chopped bittersweet chocolat
8 large eggs
1/2 tsp xanthan gum, optional

Make the ganache
Add the finely chopped white chocolate to a bowl and set aside. Add the heavy cream to a saucepan and heat over medium heat until it simmers. Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate and let it sit for about five minutes. Whisk until the chocolate is melted, then add in the peppermint extract, in ½ teaspoons, until you reach the desired flavor. Press plastic wrap on the surface of the cream and set aside for two hours.

Make souffle
Preheat your oven to 375°F. Grease four 6 oz. (180 ml) ramekins to the very top with butter, then coat with sugar all the way up to the top, tap out any excess, and set on a sheet tray.

Combine the butter, sugar, salt, and chopped chocolate in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat until mixture melts, then whisk together until the chocolate mixture is completely smooth. Cool to just above room temp about 85˚F.

Separate the eggs into two large, clean bowls.Beat egg yolks, then temper in the chocolate by adding the warm chocolate milk in 1/2-cup increments to gradually raise the temperature of the eggs while whisking. When the eggs are warmed through, add the remaining chocolate and mix until combined Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, start whisking the egg whites. Slowly incorporate the xanthan gum as you whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.

Fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in three batches, mixing the third batch until the white streaks are just barely gone. Add the batter evenly to the ramekins, filling to the top. Using a knife, scrape the top of the batter to smooth the surface and remove any excess. With your forefinger and thumb, pinch the rim of each ramekin and run the edge of your thumb around the inside rim

Place the ramekins back on the baking sheet and bake until a gentle tap jiggles only the center of the soufflé, 17 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately with warm peppermint white chocolate ganache..