Double Chocolate Soufflés with Warm Fudge Sauce

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. sugar
3 tbsp. flour
3 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1/8 tsp. salt
1¼ cups milk
3oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 large egg whites

Sauce:
1 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 tbsp. flour
1/2 cup milk
1/2oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Position oven rack to the lowest setting, and remove middle rack. Preheat oven to 425°.

To prepare the soufflés, lightly coat 6 (8oz. each) soufflé dishes with cooking
spray. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tbsp. sugar. Set aside.

Combine remaining sugar, 3 tbsp. flour, 3 tbsp. cocoa, and salt in a medium
saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add 1¼ cups
milk, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes
or until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk; remove
from heat. Add 3oz.chocolate; stir until smooth. Transfer mixture to a
large bowl; cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla and egg yolk.

Place egg whites in a large mixing bowl; beat until stiff peaks form (do not overbeat).
Gently fold one-fourth of egg whites into chocolate mixture; gently
fold in remaining egg white mixture. Gently spoon mixture into prepared
dishes. Sharply tap dishes 2 or 3 times on counter to level.

Place dishes on a baking sheet; place baking sheet on the bottom rack of oven at 425.
Immediately reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove soufflés
from oven). Bake 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the side
of soufflé comes out clean.

To prepare sauce, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add
remaining sugar, cocoa, and flour; stir well with a whisk. Gradually add
1/2 cup milk, stirring well with a whisk; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or
until slightly thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat;
add remaining chocolate, stirring until smooth. Serve warm with soufflés.

VARIATION:
Vanilla Custard Sauce:
1¼ cups milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3 tbsp. sugar
2 large egg yolks
Dash of salt

To prepare sauce, heat milk and 1/2 vanilla bean in a small, heavy saucepan
over medium heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge(do not boil),
stirring frequently. Remove from heat; let stand 30 minutes. Scrape
seeds from vanilla bean, and add seeds to milk. Discard bean.