End your meal on a lighter note with individual chocolate souffle cakes

Deliciously decadent-sounding, these soufflés are made with unsweetened cocoa for an intense flavor without the usual higher fat content from chocolate.

And since they’re conveniently sized into single servings, it’s easier to practice portion control with sweets when willpower has a tendency to go out the window.

Cooking Light’s Individual Chocolate Soufflé Cakes

Yield: 2 servings (serving size: 1 soufflé)

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 4 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa
• 2 tablespoons fat-free milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg white
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Coat 2 (6-ounce) ramekins with cooking spray; sprinkle each with 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
3. Combine 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, flour, cocoa, and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook 2 minutes, stirring until smooth. Spoon chocolate mixture into a medium bowl; cool 4 minutes. Stir in vanilla
4. Place egg white in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form (do not over-beat . Gently stir 1/4 of egg white mixture into chocolate mixture; gently fold in remaining egg white mixture
5. Spoon mixture into prepared dishes. Sharply tap dishes 2 or 3 times to level. Place dishes on a baking sheet; bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until puffy and set
6. Sprinkle each soufflé with 1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar. Serve immediately

Nutritional Information:

• Calories: 152 (4% from fat)
• Fat: 0.6g (sat 0.3g, mono 0.2g, poly 0.0g)
• Protein: 3.5g
• Carbohydrate: 35.3g
• Fiber: 1.4g
• Cholesterol: 0.31mg
• Iron: 0.8mg
• Sodium: 35mg
• Calcium: 26mg

Source: Marcia Whyte Smart, Cooking Light, April 2007