Chocolate Lava Cakes with Raspberry Sauce (Printable version)
Individual chocolate cakes with molten centers and tangy raspberry sauce. An elegant dessert for special occasions, ready in just 32 minutes.
# What you need:
→ Chocolate Lava Cakes
01 - 4 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
02 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 2 large egg yolks
05 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Raspberry Sauce
09 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
10 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
→ For Serving
12 - Powdered sugar, for dusting
13 - Fresh raspberries, optional
14 - Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, optional
# How To:
01 - Preheat oven to 425°F. Generously butter four 6-ounce ramekins and lightly dust with cocoa powder, tapping out the excess.
02 - Melt chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water using a double boiler method. Stir until smooth, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and granulated sugar until pale and thick, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Stir in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract until combined.
05 - Sift in flour and salt and gently fold until just incorporated.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet.
07 - Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are set but centers remain soft.
08 - In a small saucepan, combine raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring and gently mashing until berries break down and sauce thickens slightly. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds, if desired.
09 - Remove cakes from oven and let rest for 1 minute. Run a thin knife around the edges, then invert each cake onto a dessert plate.
10 - Drizzle with raspberry sauce, dust with powdered sugar, and serve immediately with fresh raspberries and ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dramatic reveal when you cut into these cakes and the chocolate center flows out is genuinely thrilling, even when youre the one who made them.
- The tangy raspberry sauce cuts through the richness perfectly, creating a balance I accidentally discovered when I had some berries about to turn in the fridge.
02 -
- Overbaking by even a minute can mean the difference between a gloriously flowing center and a merely moist cake, so set multiple timers if youre prone to distraction like me.
- The consistency of your chocolate mixture after melting should be smooth enough to coat the back of a spoon but not so hot that it cooks the eggs when combined.
03 -
- The cakes continue cooking slightly after removal from the oven, so its better to underbake by 30 seconds than overbake by 30 seconds if youre uncertain.
- If you dont have ramekins, well-buttered muffin tins can work in a pinch, though youll need to reduce the baking time by about 2 minutes and be extra careful when unmolding.