Chocolate Molten Cakes
This recipe was originally in Bon Appetit magazine in about 2007. I cut the recipe out of the magazine and made these for a dinner party. They were a hit, and we’ve been making them ever since.
They are for a true chocolate lover, but the coffee ice cream is a nice surprise add to this dessert served warm right out of the oven. The best surprise about this little cakes, is that they are easy to make and all the prep can be done ahead of time.
Use good chocolate, such as Ghirardelli to start. We also use unsalted butter. Start with melting the butter then add the chopped chocolate.
Chocolaty and Yummy
It won’t take long for it to blend together. Be careful not to burn, by stirring and maintaining the heat low enough. Set aside while completing the rest.
Next, move on the the egg mixture.
Using a hand mixer, beat the eggs together along with the sugar until they appear to fluff and turn a pale yellow.
When the eggs are mixed well, add the first 1/3 of the chocolate mixture. Fold lightly with a spoon. Add the remainder, being sure to fully incorporate.
Once the mixture is ready fold in the flour. And that’s it! They are ready for the ramekins.
Butter the inside of a ramekin or small souffle cup. Next add a teaspoon of sugar to each and shake the cup until the sugar coats the entire inside. They are now ready for the chocolate. They are best cooked on a baking sheet.
The great part about this recipe, is that it can be made up to a day ahead. When ready to bake, warm the oven to 425 and cook for about 13 minutes. Note, in this case thicker with give more of the “molten”, rich chocolate in the center.
This is also a great dessert for your favorite Valentine, using mini heart shaped spring form pans.
Chocolate Molten Cakes
Ingredients
- 8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 3 eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 5 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Coffee Ice Cream (if desired)
- Butter and sugar for souffle cups
Instructions
- Stir the chopped chocolate and butter in a heavy bottomed saucepan over low heat under smooth. Remove from the heat.
- Butter 8 ramekins/souffle cups. Add 1 teaspoon sugar to each cup, shaking around to cover the bottom and the sides of the dish.
- In a separate bowl add the eggs, egg yolks and sugar. Using a hand mixer beat on medium speed until thick and pale, about 8 minutes.
- Fold 1/3 of the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. After incorporating, add the remaining chocolate. Stir well. Fold in the flour.
- Pour evenly among the 8 souffle cups. (At this point, the molten cakes can be covered and kept in the refrigerator until ready to bake up to one day. Bring to room temperature before baking)
- Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the souffle cups on a baking sheet. Bake until the cakes puff up and the center slightly cracks about 13 minutes. The cakes will move slightly in the middle when touched.
- Let cool very slightly and then flip the souffles on individual dishes for serving. Top with a scoop of coffee ice cream. (Alternatively they can be left in the dishes and topped with the ice cream.) The key is to serve them warm for the "molten" to melt out of the cake middle. Enjoy!
