Double Chocolate Lava Cakes
by Jay Wadams
My foolproof, restaurant-quality recipe for Double Chocolate Lava Cakes gives perfect results every time!
Ingredients
- 100 g unsalted butter diced
- 100 g dark chocolate roughly chopped
- 2 eggs
- 60 g white sugar
- 1 Tbsp plain flour
- 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder see notes
- 4 large pieces of white or dark chocolate for the middle
to serve:
- extra unsweetened cocoa powder to dust
- 125 g fresh raspberries
- 200 g creme fraiche or 4 scoops vanilla icecream
Scan the QR Code to view the online recipe with detailed instructions, photos, hints, tips and more at daysofjay.com
Instructions
- PREPARE: Generously butter four 125ml (½ cup) ramekins or dariole moulds. Dust well with cocoa, tapping out any excess, then set aside on an oven tray. Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4.
- MELT CHOCOLATE: Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl, then set it over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir occasionally until melted, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool while you prepare the next step.
- BEAT EGGS: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy. Whisk in the flour and cocoa, then pour the melted chocolate on top and fold through. The mixture will thicken quite dramatically, but don't worry!
- DIVIDE MIXTURE: Divide the mixture evenly between the ramekins - it will come about three-quarters of the way up the side of the dish which gives it plenty of room to puff up. Push a piece of chocolate into the middle of each cake, then use a teaspoon to smooth over the tops. At this point, you can refrigerate the cakes until they are needed, for up to 4 days.
- BAKE: Bake on the baking sheet in the middle of the preheated oven for 13 minutes from room temperature, 15-16 minutes from fridge temperature, or until they have puffed and risen, with a slight, moist-looking dimple in the middle.
- COOL THEN INVERT: Remove from the oven and allow to cool for two minutes, before running a thin, sharp knife around the outside of the fondants to loosen. Put a serving plate on top of each fondant, carefully invert (you'll need a tea towel or gloves as the ramekins are still hot) then remove the ramekins.
- SERVE: Dust with a little extra cocoa, and serve immediately with raspberries and creme fraiche or scoops of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
For the chocolate in the middle, white is my favourite, but dark, milk, or even flavoured truffles all work well - I use 2 squares from an ordinary chocolate block per cake.
For lovely dark lava cakes look for Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder.
Imperial and cup measurements are approximate. For best and most accurate results I use and recommend a digital kitchen scale like the one below.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 lava cake | Calories: 543kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 166mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 346mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 1075IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 4mg