Bittersweet Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

Despite the fact that there must be hundreds of other online recipes for Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes, I have to share this recipe (in fact, it is one of the online recipes that is already "out there") because it's a dessert that we make religiously in my house.

This is one of my daughter's favorite recipes, and it's so easy, she can whip up a batch of cakes in no time. The other nice thing about this recipe, is that it can be made gluten free by switching the ONE tablespoon of all-purpose flour, with quinoa flour. It is very similar to the Decadent Chocolate Torte I posted last year.

Of course, the main reason I'm posting this now is quite obvious: Valentine's Day.
To me, this is the quintessential Valentine's Day dessert, but once you make it, I'm sure you'll want to make it again and again, and not just for a special occasion.

BITTERSWEET MOLTEN CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKES

adapted from a Bon Appetit recipe

serves 6-8

Ingredients

8 oz (1 cup) good quality bittersweet or dark chocolate (I used 70% Green & Black's Dark)

6 oz (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

5 tbsp sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

3 large egg yolks, at room temperature

1 tbsp all-purpose flour (substitute quinoa flour for Gluten Free)

strawberries for garnish

whipping cream or ice cream, to serve

extra butter and sugar to coat 6 to 8 ramekins

Preheat oven to 425º F (215º C)

Begin by buttering the ramekins, then coating them in sugar.

In a small pot, melt butter and chocolate pieces over low heat until smooth, 

 

Remove from heat and set aside. 

(Do not overheat, or it will cook the eggs when added to the mixture.)

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, egg yolks and sugar until very thick and pale yellow

(it should almost triple in size) about 5 or 6 minutes if using a Kitchenaid mixer, or similar.

Gently add about 1/3 of the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture, 

then fold in the remaining chocolate and tablespoon of flour.

Try not to stir the cake batter; gently fold it until it looks uniform in color.

 

 Divide equally into the prepared ramekins, then place them on a baking tray.

 Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 13 minutes

(ovens vary and depending on how much batter is in each ramekin, 

baking timeswill also vary.) 

While the cakes are baking, whip some cream, if desired, and prepare the strawberry garnishes: with a sharp knife, make several slices into the strawberry, 

then fan out and place on plate.

Cakes are ready when edges are puffed, but center inch still moves slightly

when shaken. The center is meant to be undercooked.

Serve immediately with a dusting of powdered sugar, whipped cream or ice cream and a strawberry garnish, directly in the ramekin. Alternately, run a knife around the outside and empty out onto a dessert plate (this is how I like to serve them.)

You may also enjoy~

Strawberry Tarts

Meringues

Madeleines