Lava Chocolate Cake

I love lava chocolate cakes as it makes such an elegant dessert to round off a good meal.  I had always thought it was a difficult dessert to make but after making it once (and dare I say that it was successful), I realized that it is actually very easy.  The first lava cake I had tried a couple of years back came from Martha Stewart's Living recipes.  It was delicious!


This is the second time I am making a lava cake again and this too doesn't have many ingredients to content with and the preparation and baking time is really "singe".  The main thing to remember is to use good quality chocolate and don't over bake it - you want the chocolate to be oozing out!





Lava Chocolate Cake
Recipe Adapted from Delia Smith
Serves 4

Ingredients:

115g good quality dark chocolate (about 65 - 70% cacao)
115g salted butter
1 tsp of coffee extract or Tbsp of instant coffee granules
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
60g caster sugar
30g all purpose flour, sifted

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 200°C. Grease and butter 4 x 125ml ramekins.

2)  In a heavy based pan over low heat, melt the chocolate, butter and coffee extract until melted. Stir to a glossy batter. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes. (You can also use a baine-marine to melt the chocolate and butter)

3) In another mixing bowl, beat eggs, egg yolks and sugar with an electric mixer for at least 5 minutes or until pale, thick and leaves ribbons trails.

4) Add chocolate and sprinkle the flour into the egg mixture and gently fold until just combined. (You can also use a whisk.) Be careful not to knock too much air out of the batter.

5) Divide batter amongst ramekins and place on a baking tray. Fondants can be covered with clingwrap and stored in the fridge or freezer at this stage. Bake for 12 minutes or until the tops have risen and have set (but still soft underneath). If baking straight from the fridge, bake for about 13 minutes. If frozen, bake for 14 minutes.

6) Remove fondants from the oven and leave to sit for about a minute.  Run a palette knife around the edges and turn out onto a plate. If baked from frozen, rest for 2 minutes before unmolding.

7) To serve dust with icing/powder sugar.  Serve warm and if you want add a dollop of good vanilla ice-cream.