Chocolate Lava Cakes with Rose Flavored Whipped Cream

Helga Glaesel de BlandingFebruary 8, 2011

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I had seen lava cakes before, but hadn’t actually read a recipe for it. I just always assumed that you put a pice of chocolate in the middle of the batter and that’s what came out when you cut the little cake open. Wrong! it is basically, uncooked batter. You bake these cakes at very high temperature, for very little time so that only the outside of the cakes cook and the middle stays liquid. What?!… That didn’t sound too appealing, but I had already scheduled this recipe in, and was curious to try it anyway. I reviewed a dozen recipes just to make sure I hadn’t stumbled into a fiasco, but they all had the same procedure.

I am glad I tried it! These are so good! The uncooked batter that oozes out is like pudding or a rich and thick chocolate syrup. I’m not happy with my presentation though, the recipe said it served 6, so I used 6 custard cups and filled them out evenly. I wish I had only used 4 to make a taller cake, these don’t rise very much, but I didn’t know that at the time, so I followed the recipe and went ahead and filled 6.

Another thing is that you have to reeeaaaally butter whatever mold you use before you put the batter in. I put enough to coat the inside, but the demolding wasn’t so smooth. If you think you won’t be able to demold them, leave them in! You can serve these in their ramekins or custard cups, topped with whipped cream.

Another thing you have to consider is that these cakes have to be served immediately, and since they only take about 11 minutes to bake, you can prepare the batter and keep it refrigerated ahead of time, which is something else I love about this recipe. When your guests arrive, and you are ready to serve dessert, just pop them in your preheated oven and serve immediately.

I used a rose water flavored whipped cream to give it a little something extra. You can put a rose petal on top as part of the decoration.

Chocolate Lava Cakes
with Rose Flavored Whipped Cream

Ingredients:
Serves 4
Adapted from Epicurious

Cakes:
5 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
10 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Rose Flavored Whipped Cream:
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons rose water

Procedure:

For the cakes:

Preheat oven to 450°F.
Butter four small soufflé dishes (ramekins)or custard cups. Stir chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted. Cool slightly.
Whisk eggs and egg yolks in large bowl to blend.
Whisk in sugar, then chocolate mixture and flour. Pour batter into dishes, dividing equally. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
Bake cakes until sides are set but center remains soft and runny, about 11 minutes or up to 14 minutes for batter that was refrigerated. Run small knife around cakes to loosen. Immediately turn cakes out onto plates.
Serve with a dollop of rose flavored whipped cream.

For the whipped cream: