Molten Chocolate Lava Cake
Indulge in the bliss of a warm Molten Chocolate Lava Cake, where rich chocolate meets a gooey center. This easy dessert is perfect for any occasion, making it a go-to recipe that will impress your guests!
Equipment
- Whisk
- Oven
- Saucepan
- Chef's Knife
- Mixing Bowl
- Wooden Spoon
- Baking Sheet
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks Egg Yolks
- 3 large eggs Large Eggs
- ½ cup Sugar
- pinch Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 8 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate
- 10 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
- Whipped Cream Optional garnish
- Chocolate Sauce Optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°.
- In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on high speed, whisk together the 3 large eggs, ½ cup sugar, pinch of sea salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until it turns white and is light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
- Bring a medium-sized pot a third filled with water to a low simmer over low-medium heat. Add the 10 tablespoons unsalted butter and 8 ounces of finely chopped bittersweet chocolate in a metal bowl and place it over the pot. Stir constantly using a rubber spatula until completely melted and smooth.
- Pour about a ½ cup of the melted chocolate into the whisked egg and sugar mixture and fold together using a rubber spatula for 20 to 30 seconds to temper the eggs. Pour in the remaining chocolate and fold until completely mixed in.
- Fold in the ¼ cup all-purpose flour using a rubber spatula until mixed in.
- Transfer the batter into buttered and floured ramekins or spread it out on a 13×9 casserole dish. Place in the refrigerator until completely cool, about 30 to 45 minutes.
- Butter and flour 6 8-ounce ramekins or 6 cylinders, and place on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
- Scoop out the batter and evenly distribute it across the ramekins or cylinders.
- Bake in the oven at 450° for 9 minutes on the dot.
- If using a ramekin, invert on a plate for 10 seconds and remove, or pull the cylinder up and use a spatula to transfer it to a plate.
- Garnish with optional whipped cream, chocolate sauce, strawberries, or ice cream, and serve.
Notes
- Make-Ahead: The batter can stay covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before being transferred to the buttered and floured ramekin and baked.
- How to Store: Cover and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can freeze this, but the soft inside will harden once reheated. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.
- How to Reheat: Place on a cookie sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake it in the oven at 350° for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Doubling the Recipe: For extra-large lava cakes, simply double the amount of batter into the cylinders or ramekins.
- Flavor Enhancements: Consider adding a splash of espresso to enhance the chocolate flavor.
- Chocolate Quality: It is best to use good baking chocolate for melting instead of chocolate chips.