Chocolate Lava Cake

Miss Erin's Note:

This chocolate cake is all the rage at trendy restaurants. Just crack it open to find a lovely gooey center.

• Total Time: 32 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 15

• ½ lb bittersweet chocolate , finely chopped
• ½ lb unsalted butter
• 6 eggs
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Butter the bottom and sides of 15 4oz ramekins.
3. Sprinkle with sugar, tapping to remove extra sugar.
4. In double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter.
5. Whisk until thoroughly melted.
6. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar and flour until just blended Gradually whisk the chocolate into the egg mixture until combined.
7. Evenly divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins, using about 1/3 cup for each Place the ramekins on a baking sheet for 10-12 minutes until the tops are firm and beginning to crack and the edges are set Remove from oven and serve immediately with ice cream.

Reviews

[Marko59]

Unbelievably Good and Easy are not often in the same sentence. I used a 12 cupcake teflon pan, no liners, just buttered and sugar swirled in each cup --- Tip: put a teaspoon or so of sugar in each cup if you are using a multi cup pan like me, then swirl the sugar around-allowing all of the cups to be "sugared" at one time.

I changed the following: 50/50 mixture of semisweet chips and dark(86%) chocolate for total 8 oz chocolate, plus a trick from the Barefoot Contessa: a sprinkle (1/2 teaspooon) of instant coffee granules in the hot melted butter/chocolate mixture. Mixed in before combining with the flour/sugar/eggs. Intensifies the chocolate flavor, and does not leave a coffee flavor in the cakes.

The lava cakes rose up about 1/2 inch above the pan, just like a souffle....let them cool before inverting the pan over a large plate -- all 12 came out with the "lava dome" on the top, with only one "eruption" er I mean spill of Lava.
So good, so easy, a keeper for sure.

[Chef #1163488]

I give this a million stars!! It is unbelievable easy and the most amazing presentation. I found a more difficult version in Good Housekeeping Magazine. The one thing I did learn from them is that this can be prepared 2 weeks ahead and frozen. I just took out a frozen ramekin to test it out before my party later this week. I did everything as written, but let it thaw about 30 minutes and baked it about 5 - 7 minutes longer, watching for cracking on the top. When plating it use a knife after letting sit a few minutes and go around the edges. Hold it with cooking mitt in the palm of one hand, put plate in other hand and it makes it easier to get the dessert upside down to put on the plate. I served it with Hagen Daz Vanilla Swiss Almond, which is vanilla ice cream with chocolate covered almonds and a few raspberries/mint. This is so easy, can easily be frozen and baked for an elegant dinner party. Absolutely devine!

[Sangeetha]

I first reduced the servings to 5 (actually there was just 2 of us, my BF and me). I used Cadburys Dairy Milk chocolate 80 gm, and as it is already sweet, I used only 1/4 cup sugar. Let me list the ingredients which i used, in case it would help someone. 80 gm Cadburys Dairy Milk chocolate (two 40 gm bars), 100 gm butter, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup powdered sugar, and 1/4 cup flour. Cooked it in just 1 medium sized ramekin which I had. Turned out excellent and both of us fought over the last piece :) and made me look like a great cook, which I am not. Best Ever. Thank you so much for posting.