Gingerbread Soufflé

For the port wine figs: Rinse figs and cut into quarters. Rinse orange and peel thinly, squeeze orange juice. Combine port wine, orange juice and peel, cinnamon stick, star anise and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add figs and bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch with a little cold water and add, stirring, to the figs. Bring to a boil once and remove from heat. Cool and remove orange peel and spices.

For the souffle: Cut chocolate into pieces and melt over hot water bath. Separate eggs. Beat egg whites until stiff. Whisk egg yolks with sugar, vanilla sugar, gingerbread spices and orange liqueur for at least 8 minutes. Add chocolate and stir well.

Mix flour and baking powder. Fold egg whites into egg yolk mixture and sift flour mixture over, fold in gently. Pour batter into 4 greased and floured soufflé ramekins and bake immediately in preheated oven at 175°C (gas mark 3) (approximately 350°F) for about 20 minutes.