Little Ivy Cakes

CHOCOLATE MOLTEN CAKES:
Easy AND Gourmet


The other night my hubby picked out these chocolate molten cakes from Trader Joe's to have for dessert. They were really super good and got me thinking, "I should MAKE molten cakes at home! They would be even better than store-bought. "
So I found a recipe and made them on Sunday night while my little brother was over for the weekend. They were so good and easy to make I made them again on Monday night in less than 45 minutes(start to finish) to bring over to a friend's for dessert. They turned out so good, I mean really, really good. Especially with vanilla bean ice cream. :)

So the pictures are from 2 separate batches I made, each a little different because I learned some lessons from making the first batch the night before. :)
I love learning. :) Don't you?

Now before I get into the recipe, preferences apply here. . .
One, you can dust your ramekins with butter and granulated sugar for a crunch, which I fully enjoyed and thought it gave the cake a little extra something, or with butter and cocoa powder if you would rather.

Two, use what kind of chocolate YOU LIKE. The recipe calls for bitter-sweet chocolate but I used semi-sweet in the second batch and liked it a bit better.

And, Three, you can add in orange zest or leave it out. In my first batch I left it out because I didn't feel like having orange chocolate, I just wanted plain. Plain was good but, when I made them the second time, I felt like getting a bit fancy so I went half way and added a tiny bit of orange zest in the batter and for garnish after they were baked. There was only a small hint of orange just to give them... again that extra something. :)

Chocolate Molten Cake
6 (6oz or 3/4 cup ramekins)
16 tbs bitter sweet or semi-sweet chocolate(can't vouch for milk choc. peeps)
stick unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla
pinch salt
4 egg yolks
2 tbs cocoa powder
3 egg whites
6 tbs sugar
1 orange for zest if so desired

-Line a cookie sheet with tin foil.
-Set ramekins on tin foil lined baking sheet and butter up.
-Then dust with either granulated sugar or cocoa powder and set aside.

-Melt sugar and butter in a double-boiler until smooth and silky.
-Then take off heat and mix in vanilla and salt, set aside to cool a couple minutes.
-In another bowl whip egg yolks, 3 tbs sugar, cocoa powder, and zest if using.
(oops forgot the cooca for the photo)

-Preheat oven to 400F and position your rack in the middle of your oven.
-In another bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites until think and frothy(a couple minutes).

-Then add 3 tbs sugar and beat until stiff glossy peaks. Set aside.
-Slowly spoon melted chocolate mix into the egg yolk mix. This will be thick but smooth. Not lumpy.

-Then slowly fold in half egg white mix into chocolate mix until just blended.
-Then add the rest of your egg whites and mix until just blended.

-Divide batter evenly into ramekins.

-Bake 12 minutes or until cake tops are just cracked. They will look wet inside the cracks.
This is important because the more you bake these cakes, the less molten they will be inside.

MOLTEN? this is being a bit soft and gooey in the middle. SOOOO yum right!

-Sprinkle with coarse sugar and orange zest on top if you want and scoop some ice cream on top too.
-You can also pop them out of the ramekins-it's real easy if you run a butter knife around the inside rim of the ramekin and then gently flip onto a plate.

I am telling you, these take such little time and are quite simple but are so very special and gourmet.
This one goes in my top five desserts list to serve to guests. Along with Tart Tatin. However Tart Tatin is very complicated to make and demands more time. After making this recipe a couple times, you'll be a pro like me and could even demonstrate right IN FRONT of your guests. Hahahhhaa. :)

Oh yeah, and if you don't want to make them you can always opt to go buy some from Trader Joe's. I think a two-pack is $4-5.

THE END!