Let’s celebrate Valentine’s Day with these gooey, decadent and delicious Dark Chocolate Soufflés, which come together quickly and bake up nicely. The perfect dessert if you’re holding a stay-at-home Valentine’s celebration this year!

My husband gave me the prettiest pink flowers for Valentine’s Day yesterday, and I spent the rest of the afternoon swooning over them.

I’m such a girl. And I’m totally OK with this.

In the seven-and-a-half years we’ve been together, Winston has sent me flowers once before. And those fateful roses preceded our engagement.

Apparently, he does flowers before big important events in our lives, and since flowers are not an every day (or every year!) occurrence, yesterday’s bouquet was even more special.

We’re (obviously) a low-key Valentine’s Day couple. We don’t normally exchange gifts, opting for heartfelt cards and homemade presents. (“Presents” meaning “baked goods.”)

We prefer cooking at home instead of braving the restaurant dinner crowds. We spend the evening taking it easy and enjoying time together in the comfort of our own home.

And most years, I bake soufflés to finish off our homemade Valentine’s dinner.

This year is no different… assuming we’re not at the hospital and/or having a baby at the time of our dinner.

How do you ensure your soufflés rise and are light and fluffy?

There are a few things that go into making the perfect soufflé!

Have the right equipment. That means having a solid ramekin for the soufflés to bake in, a hand mixer to whip up the egg whites, a spatula to fold all the ingredients together. Make sure the egg whites are at room temperature! I like to separate my eggs an hour in advance, refrigerate the yolks to go into scrambled eggs the next day, and let the egg whites hang out on the counter in a bowl. (It’s harder to get lift out of a cold egg white!) If you’re having trouble getting the egg whites to rise, you can add a pinch of cream of tarter or a squeeze of lemon juice. This isn’t required, but it could help the meringue be a little more stable. Don’t overfold the batter. You want it to just come together, dollop it into the ramekins and bake! Serve and enjoy immediately. A soufflé will fall as it sits after baking and won’t be nearly as airy or fluffy as it is straight out of the oven.

Can I make the soufflé batter ahead of time?

Yes! You can whip the batter up to a day or two in advance, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When it’s time to bake your dessert, preheat the oven, then prepare the ramekins, add the batter and bake until ooey gooey and delicious!

How do you know when a soufflé is done?

I like to go by look. If the soufflé has risen well out of its ramekin, it’s probably done.

If you want to stick a toothpick or a cooking needle into it and pull it out, you’ll want it to come out clean… but I don’t mind my soufflé being a little gooey straight out of the oven.

I’ve been making a rendition of these soufflés for years, and this might just be my favorite version yet because the chocolate is so rich and intense.

So, if you’re looking for a dessert on the lighter side? These Dark Chocolate Soufflés probably aren’t your thing.

But trust me when I say they are absolutely decadent and the perfect way to end a Valentine’s Dinner with the person(s) you adore most in the world.

Other Chocolate-y Desserts for Valentine’s Day

Now who’s ready for these gorgeous souffles? Scroll on down to get the recipe!

What are your Valentine’s Day plans? Will you be baking for your loved ones like I will be?

Have you tried this recipe? Leave a comment and star rating below to let me know what you thought!