Lava Cake

 Another recipe this week and this is one of my personal favorites: Chocolate Lava Cake. Though more difficult and tedious to make than the cookie recipe I posted last week, nothing compares to the taste of this molten dessert! It took me a few attempts to consistently get the results I want, so I'll be leaving my tips on how to achieve that perfect lava flow!

 Chocolate Lava Cake

 - 6 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate

 - 1 Stick of Butter (8 Tablespoons)

 - Pinch of salt 

 - 2 Eggs

 - 2 Egg Yolks

 - 1/4 Cup Sugar

 - 2 Tablespoons (All Purpose) Flour

Instructions 

- Chop up chocolate and slice butter and place in a metal bowl. Preheat oven to 450 F

- Melt the chocolate and butter on a double broiler and add salt. Mix occasionally

Double Broiler: Grab a pot and fill it a quarter of the way up with water. Turn up heat to medium low. Grab the bowl that you are using to melt the butter and place it on top the pot, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. The residual heat from the simmering water will gently melt the chocolate together. Make sure that your metal bowl does not have a rubber or plastic base.

- After the chocolate and butter have fully melted and combined, set aside to cool.

- In a separate bowl, beat together your eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until it turns light yellow and frothy

(This adds air to make the lava cake lighter)

- Gradually fold in your chocolate mixture with a spoon or rubber spatula to the egg mixture until combined

Folding: Add in some chocolate into your mixture. To fold, use your utensil and move the added chocolate down and below the egg and "scoop" up the egg from the bottom as you return to the top by the sides. This is done to preserve the air added when the eggs and sugar were beaten to give the cake a lighter result. Do not mix the batter like you would with a whisk, you'll remove the air! Remember these motions: Down, Across, Up and Over.

- Add in your flour and fold again until flour is no longer visible

- Butter and flour ramekins or a large muffin tray

< This is a ramekin, most famously used for Creme Brulee 

- Pour your batter halfway up and tap to the side to even the batter

- Place on a tray (If they're ramekins) and bake for about 10 minutes

(NOTE: This time may vary depending on the size of the container)

- To see if your lava cake is done baking, take a toothpick and poke the sides and center of the batter. The cake is done if the sides come out clean with a few crumbs and the center is wet

- To take out the cake from the tray or ramekin: Use a spoon around the edges to loosen the cake, place a plate above the cake, flip upside down and tap the ramekin a few times and lift. 

- Finish with powdered sugar or berries (optional)

Now for the moment you've been waiting for....

Is It Molten?

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Yes, it is!