Chocolate Lava Cake,part 1 朱古力心太軟, 上集

Chocolate Lava Cake, Molten Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Volcano Cake...they all refer to this:

A chocolate cake with a liquid chocolate inside. It just flows out when you break it open with a fork. A chocolate ganache is refrigerated until it hardens, then after filling a ramekin or small cup with the cake batter, it is put in the middle and covered again with the batter and then baked. The heat will melt the chocolate inside just enough so that when it is served, it will flow out like lava or volcano.

For this one, I was so impatient that the chocolate ganache did not have time to harden enough before I baked it, so it is just partly flowing out. Next time I should wait for it to harden more before putting it into the batter.

The chocolate flavor is so rich. It for sure would satisfy any chocolate lover's taste buds!! Make sure you have some milk or hot tea to go with it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

Let me first introduce some of the ingredients I use:

It is called pound plus because it is slightly more than a pound, 500g. Only $4.99 from Trader Joe's. One package can make a lot of cakes.

bittersweet chocolate or dark chocolate

Unsweetened chocolate with 100% cacao, no added sugar.

Ingredients for making 6 small ramekins (each ramekin holds about ¼ cup):

Chocolate ganache filling:

1.5 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3 tbsp heavy cream

Cake:

3 oz/3 squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped

6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch chunks

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

½ cup sugar

35g/5.5 tbsp all purpose flour, sifted

To make the filling:

Heat the heavy cream to a simmer (or microwave). Pour to the chopped bittersweet chocolate and stir until melted. Chill until hardened. Divide into 6 small balls.

To make the cake:

1)  Melt the unsweetened chocolate with the butter in a microwave. Cool to room temperature.

2)  Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Butter 6 small ramekins or small cups.

3)  Beat the eggs with sugar over a pot of hot water. Beat until tripled in volume or the batter forms a ribbon, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer or 6 minutes for a handheld mixer.

4)  Fold in the flour gently, followed by the butter chocolate mixture. Spoon the batter to the prepared ramekins to half full. Put a chocolate ganache ball from the fridge in the middle of each ramekin. Spoon more batter in until it is 80% full.

5)  Put the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for 10-13 minutes. Do not over bake. Serve warm.

Notes:

1)  When you microwave the chocolate and butter, do it in 20 second intervals. Bring it out and stir between intervals to make sure that it is evenly heated.

2)  Beating the eggs over a pot of hot water helps to aerate the egg foam.

3)  Do not over bake; otherwise it will become just a chocolate cake without the molten or lava effect.

4)  It can be served in the ramekin or inverted on a plate and dusted with powdered sugar. Make sure the ramekins are buttered liberally before baking so the cake can be easily demolded without breaking.