Chocolate Lava Cakes
A decadent and impressive dessert that feels luxurious, yet is surprisingly simple to make. With a rich, flowing chocolate center, it's the perfect treat for a special occasion.
Serves: 2
Cost: $5.00 NZD (approx)
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
50g butter
70g dark chocolate
A pinch of salt
¼ cup (50g) sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup (30g) plain flour
Method
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan forced). Grease two ramekins well.
In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, dark chocolate, and salt together in short bursts, stirring frequently until smooth. Alternatively, melt them in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water (a bain-marie).
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together for about one minute until slightly frothy.
Add the flour to the egg mixture and whisk until just combined.
Pour the warm (not scalding hot) chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk quickly and continuously until you have a smooth, thick batter.
Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared ramekins.
Bake for 7 to 9 minutes. The cakes should be firm around the edges but still soft and jiggly in the center.
Let the cakes rest for 1-2 minutes after removing them from the oven. Then, carefully run a knife around the edge of each ramekin, invert onto a plate, and serve immediately.
Tips
Timing is key: The baking time is crucial for the liquid center. Start checking at 7 minutes.
Prepare ahead: You can prepare the batter in the ramekins a few hours ahead, cover, and refrigerate. You may need to add 1-2 minutes to the baking time if cooking from cold.
Serving suggestion: Dust with icing sugar and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Quality counts: Using a good quality dark chocolate will make a significant difference to the flavour.
