Chocolate Lava Cakes
Chocolate Lava Cakes
I found this surprisingly easy recipe for chocolate lava cakes last year and made them for an at home Valentine’s Day dinner. Not only are they way easier than expected, they are incredibly delicious. The molten chocolate centre is divine, especially when paired with fresh whipped cream and fresh fruit. I’m posting these right before Valentine’s Day so anyone celebrating love this year, with a friend, a partner, or yourself can make this decadent at home treat as well.
Above: chopped chocolate atop butter before going in the microwave.
INGREDIENTS
Nonstick cooking spray
Cocoa powder for dusting pan
170 grams (6 oz.) high quality semi-sweet chocolate*
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
Toppings: fresh whipped cream, ice cream, raspberries, or icing sugar
YIELD
5 cakes
TIME
Prep - 15 minutes
Bake - 10 minutes
TOOLS
1 large bowl, 1 medium microwaveable bowl
Muffin tin or ramekins
DIRECTIONS
Spray each ramekins or your muffin tin with a light layer of cooking spray and dust with cocoa powder. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Coarsely chop the chocolate. Place the butter in a medium sized microwave safe bowl. Add the chopped chocolate on top. Microwave for 20 seconds, take out and mix. Continue to microwave for 10 second increments, stirring each time. The heat from the chocolate will melt the unmelted chunks, so give it a good stir each time before putting it back in. Be careful to not overheat! Chocolate burns quickly in the microwave and is not salvageable.
In a large bowl, whisk flour, icing sugar, and salt. In a measuring cup whisk the eggs and egg yolks. Poor eggs into the flour mixture and mix well. Pour in the melted chocolate and stir until combined.
Poor batter into prepared ramekins or muffin cups. Fill to nearly the top.
If using ramekins place on a baking sheet. Bake ramekins for 12-14 minutes. For muffin tins, bake for 8-10 minutes.
Allow to cool for 1 minute and then use an oven mitt to cover each ramekin with a place and turn over to pop the cake out. For muffin tins, gently use a spoon to pop the cake out of the pan and place upside down on a plate.
Add toppings and serve immediately**.
NOTES
*You cannot use chocolate chips for this recipe. You need higher quality chocolate to make the lava centre. I use Baker’s chocolate that you find in the baking aisle.
**It is important to note that you need to eat these right away. They continue cooking inside when you take them out of the oven so for the melty chocolately goodness you need to eat them within 10 minutes of taking them out of the oven. So make sure you time your dessert well! If you are serving these at a dinner party or having trouble timing this, make the batter in advance. The blog I got the recipe from says it can be refrigerated if sealed for 2 days and must be brought to room temperature before baking.
Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Blog.
