Molten Lava Cake

I needed a big ending to this fabulous meal I had planned. I love chocolate. Mr. ShoeFanatic does not. However, he loves lava cake. Yes, he is strange since this is a very chocolatey dish. But I love him anyway.

I found this recipe on Colleen's blog. I immediately loved it for several reasons:
1. I had all the ingredients already
2. It could be made ahead of time
3. It was described as restaurant quality

I will say that I was scared to death to make it. I was so afraid to overbake it so I was being totally anal and literally sitting in front of the stove with a handful of toothpicks. But it was very easy. And it was my favorite thing that I cooked last night. With the soup being a close second.

This recipe is for 2 cakes.

INGREDIENTS:
2 T butter, plus more for ramekins
1/3 c confectioners sugar, plus more for ramekins and serving
2 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 t espresso powder (optional)
Pinch of salt
3 T AP flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Butter two 6-ounce ramekins, then dust with sugar.

Place 2 T butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 20-second increments, stirring after each, until melted. Let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together egg, egg yolk, sugar, espresso powder (I left this out) and salt. Add chocolate mixture; whisk to combine. Add flour, and whisk just until combined (do not overmix). Pour batter into prepared ramekins. (Recipe can be made ahead up to this point.)

Bake until a toothpick inserted 1/2 inch from edge of ramekins comes out clean, and a toothpick inserted in center comes out wet, 10 to 12 minutes (do not overbake). Cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around inside of ramekins to loosen. Invert cakes onto serving plates. Dust with sugar; serve immediately. Preferably with ice cream.

VERDICT:
I will never order dessert at a restaurant again. Instead, I will just make this ahead of time and bake it when we get home.

Oh my gosh! I seriously cannot rave enough about how good this was. And very, very easy. I whipped this up in less than 15 minutes and it took about 14 to bake. I think it could have gone just a little longer but I was too scared to overbake it.

Make this today! Your family will love you and think you are a culinary genius!

SOURCE:
Cooking This and That