Dark Chocolate Soufflés

1 Preheat the oven to 400°F, and position a baking rack in the middle of the oven.
2 Spray three 7 oz. soufflé dishes with baking spray and sprinkle with sugar, tilting the dishes to coat all surfaces completely, then tapping to remove excess sugar. Arrange the prepared baking dishes on a baking sheet, and set aside.
3 Heat a saucepan over high heat, filled halfway with water, and bring to a simmer.
4 Combine the chocolate and half-and-half in a large glass bowl that fits over the saucepan. When the water is simmering, set the bowl over the saucepan to create a double boiler. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat, and set aside.
5 Using a hand mixer (or stand mixer), beat the egg whites until they have formed soft peaks. Sprinkle in the sugar until the egg whites form hard peaks. Set aside.
6 Stir the egg yolk and salt into the chocolate mixture.
7 Using a rubber spatula, fold a quarter of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold the rest of the egg whites into the mixture, stirring until just combined. (This is very important because if you overmix, your soufflés won't rise as much!)
8 Divide the batter among the prepared soufflé dishes, and fill them completely.
9 Bake the soufflés on a baking sheet until they have puffed considerably and the tops feel firm, about 14-16 minutes. (If you can peek at your soufflés without opening the oven door, do this around the 10-11 minute mark to check the rise.)
10 Serve the soufflés immediately, sprinkling with powdered sugar, whipped cream, fresh fruit or simply by themselves!