Gooey-on-the-inside chocolate cakes (aka molten lava cakes)

In my previous post I said chocolate isn’t everything, and while I stand by that comment, it does tend to raise a few brows. Well, here you go brow-raisers.

By the way, if your brow raising friends have been working their butts off digging this week, they so deserve one of these. Or if you just want to show someone you love that they make you just as ooey-gooey on the inside…well, what better way to show them (there is nothing wrong with clichés when in chocolate form).

Just don’t do what I did, and put cream on the top. I mean, yes it was tasty, but it also made the oozing look kinda funky. Also don’t try to pop them out waaay above the plate, because then they do this:

But do, absolutely do, make these.

…even though this recipe requires separating eggs…but did you know you can freeze egg whites? I just make a tally on a little plastic container and once there are enough egg whites, I make macarons (which use 3 eggs whites) or friands/financiers (use 10, or halve the recipe and use 5). Next on the list is this swooningly delicious looking coconut cake (use 8, or 4 if not using the meringue icing). Love it when baking makes it imperative that you do more baking. Of course if you like meringues you can make those too, but I’m usually not a fan…and why would you when you could make much nicer things?

The great thing about this recipe which I found on The Bites Site is that it (supposedly) makes 2 wee cakes, which makes it a perfect go-to recipe whether you’re making it on a whim for two, or a dinner party for 6 or 8. The thing is, it secretly kinda made 3 in my 1/2c capacity ramekins. Mine look a lot paler as well though, perhaps because I really whipped the bejesus out of the eggs, incorporating oh so much air into them. Anyway, if you want just 2, use 3/4c capacity ramekins just to be safe. Unless you want the third as a tester cake or to give to your flatmates to share. Spread that gooey love.

Molten lava chocolate cakes

makes 2-3 ramekins (1/2 c capacity)

• 60g unsalted butter (do NOT use salted butter here!)
• 60g good quality dark chocolate, finely chopped (I used Lindt 70%)*
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/8c (30g) caster sugar (I accidentally used 45g and it was fine…in fact I’d probably use 45g sugar if using 70% and above chocolate)
• 1 tsp plain flour

* For milk chocolate lovers, maybe use 50%

Preheat oven to 200C, with a rack centred.

Generously butter two to three 1/2c capacity ramekins (or 3/4c if you definitely only want 2), then sift cocoa over the buttered surface and tap around so the cocoa covers all the butter.

Melt butter either in microwave (covered small bowl) or in a very very small saucepan. You want it to be hot. Remove from heat, and add chocolate. Let the heat sit and melt the chocolate.

Meanwhile, in a separate bowl with high-ish sides, whisk (high speed) egg, yolk and sugar until paler and thick, with lots of air bubbles. Go back to the chocolate butter mixture and whisk them until uniform, then whisk the mixture into the eggs gradually (I did it in 3 additions). Whisk in flour until it disappears.

Pour batter into ramekins, place in a brownie tin for ease of removal, and bake 7-10 minutes until tops are just set. Remove immediately and let cool five minutes before running a small sharp knife around the edge just at the top. Turn ramekin upside down onto a plate, and tap top and sides. Never hold the ramekin more than 2cm above the plate, because if the cake falls out, it will go splat. If it needs extra coercion, hold onto the plate and bang them together downwards on a table (not too hard obviously).

Serve with whipped cream (not plain and lazy like I did), good vanilla ice cream, or yogurt. Top with berries and berry coulis or compote, or simply just dust with icing sugar. To be honest I wish I had used berry compote, as the super-fresh farmers market berries were fantastic on their own but a just kinda sour when paired with the chocolate on their own. If you want the prettiness, maybe use a combination of coulis/compote and fresh berries.

EDIT: Next up: Chocolate chestnut cupcakes. They are soooo amazing, and gluten free!