Chocolate Lava Cakes
The goal is contrast. You want the snap of a baked cake shell giving way to a warm, viscous interior. If you leave them in the oven for even a minute too long, the center will solidify and you'll have standard muffins instead.
Mastering the temperature drop
Your oven must be fully preheated before these go in; a cold oven will result in a fully baked, dry center. Butter your ramekins thoroughly and dust them with cocoa powder to ensure the cakes release cleanly.
- 4 (6-ounce) ramekins
- double boiler or microwave-safe bowl
- whisk
- small pastry brush
What goes in.
- 4 ozbittersweet chocolate (60% cocoa), chopped
- 1/2 cupunsalted butter, cubed
- 2large eggs
- 2egg yolks
- 1/4 cupgranulated sugar
- 2 tbspall-purpose flour
- pinchsea salt
Precision timing
The cakes are ready when the edges are set and have pulled slightly away from the ramekin, but the center still wobbles like gelatin when you shake the pan.
The method.
Prepare the molds
Brush the insides of the ramekins with softened butter using vertical strokes. Dust with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess so only a thin, uniform coating remains.
Melt the base
Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl over barely simmering water. Stir until fully smooth, then remove from heat to cool slightly.
Whisk the eggs
In a separate bowl, whisk the whole eggs, yolks, sugar, and salt until pale and thickened, about 2 minutes. The whisk should leave a visible trail in the mixture.
Combine
Fold the chocolate mixture into the eggs. Sift the flour over the top and fold gently with a rubber spatula just until no streaks remain.
Bake
Divide the batter between the ramekins. Bake at 425°F for 12 to 14 minutes. Let them rest in the ramekins for exactly 1 minute before inverting onto plates.
Other turns to take.
Espresso infusion
Add 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the melted chocolate to deepen the cocoa profile.
Spiced
Add a pinch of cayenne or ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients for a subtle heat that cuts the richness.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If you are nervous about unmolding, serve them directly in the ramekins with a spoon.
You can prepare the batter up to 4 hours in advance; keep the filled ramekins in the refrigerator and add 2 minutes to the bake time.
Use a chocolate bar that you actually like to eat; the flavor of the cake is entirely dependent on the quality of the chocolate.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my cake stick to the ramekin?
You likely missed a spot while buttering or did not dust the cocoa powder evenly enough. Always use a brush to get into the crevices.
Can I use milk chocolate?
It is not recommended. Milk chocolate has a higher sugar and dairy content, which makes it much harder to achieve a liquid center without the exterior burning.
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