Molten Lava Cakes . . . YUM!

Molten Lava Cakes

Oven Temperature: 400 Degrees

Prep. Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 11-14 minutes
Total:  26-29 minutes

I cannot believe that I have yet to post a Lava Cake recipe. I am still shocked that I have not posted this amazingly easy recipe. Oh MY GOD! As you all know, I have a really bad chocolate addiction. This is the one cake that will completely satisfy that craving. A few years back, I went to Chili's. For dessert, I ordered a Molten Chocolate Cake. Little did I know that the minute I dug my spoon into this warm chocolate cake, it would pour out a river of warm chocolate gooeyness. That is the minute my life changed. I never knew that so many amazing flavors and textures could be held in this small little cake. My life had been corrupted forever. I NEEDED to know how to  make this cake. I just had to know. I spend days and days researching a molten cake recipe with consistently failed results. Either the whole cake would be too firm, or way too runny. Finally, I came across an amazing website with an AMAZING recipe. I was also able to watch a video with specific directions on how to make this cake. I made it once, and I was hooked. This is by far the best cake I have ever made. You will make it, and you will fall in love. Make it for someone you love, because I guarantee you a marriage proposal when you do. It's THAT GOOD!
This cake is brownie like on the outside. DId your spoon into this perfectly crispy exterior, and you will be greeted with a fluffy whipped mousse like chocolatey interior. It will be perfectly plump, amazingly light, and delectably rich in chocolate, with the absolute perfect amount of sweetness. Plop some whipped cream or Ice Cream on the top, and you have got a sinfully forbidden dessert. Try this cake. You will love it just as much as I do, if not more. Like I said, It's THAT GOOD.

Here are a few tips to making this cake:

• When melting the chocolate, use a double boiler to prevent burning it.
• Make sure that when you separate the egg yolks from the whites, to not get ANY yolk in the whites, or they will not whip correctly! Here is a great video on how to separate eggs. 
• If you don't have Cream of Tartar, you can use a dash of salt instead. Don't go grocery shopping just to get it!
• When beating the egg yolks with the sugar, I found that a paddle attachment works better, but you can use a whisk, however, ALWAY use a whisk to beat the egg whites.
• Before beating the egg whites, make sure you bowl is CLEAN and VERY DRY. Also, put it in the freezer for a few minutes before using it. A warm bowl will NOT allow your whites to expand correctly. 
• In order to allow your whites to expand correctly, beat them on medium speed till foamy, then add the Cream of Tartar or Salt. After that, beat them on medium speed till soft peaks form, and the add the sugar VERY slowly as beating, until Stiff peaks form. If you over beat the eggs, they will deflate. Here is a video that demonstrates how whip egg whites correctly. 
• DO NOT pour your sugar on your egg yolks if you aren't going to beat immediately. If the sugar  is left to sit on the yolks, they will scramble. 
  

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter (Cubed)

6 oz. Chopped  Semisweet Chocolate OR 1 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

3 Eggs (Separated)

1/3 Cup Granulated White Sugar

1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

1/8 tsp Cream of Tartar OR Salt

1 tbsp Granulated White Sugar

Directions:

Begin by melting the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. I personally think it's a waste of money to buy one, so I use a steel or glass mixing bowl that fits inside a pot, where it will sit perfectly on the top and not touch the bottom. Fill the pot with about an inch of water, where it won't touch the bowl after you set it on the pot. Put the chocolate and the butter in the mixing bowl, without getting any water on them because the chocolate WILL seize. Turn on the heat, and allow the heat of the water boiling underneath the bowl to melt your chocolate and butter. Mix it occasionally until it is all melted and incorporated. You do not want to heat the chocolate, just melt it. After the chocolate is melted, take the bowl out of the pot and set it aside to allow the chocolate to come to room temperature so it wont scramble your eggs when you add it to the rest of your mixture.

As the chocolate cools, beat the egg yolks with the 1/3 cup of sugar. Beat until the mixture is pale, and when you lift the beaters it should fall back down in a nice ribbon. Beat in the vanilla. With the mixer on low, add the melted chocolate/butter mixture. Mix just to incorporate. 

In a clean, DRY, COLD bowl pour the egg whites and beat with a whisk attachment on medium speed. Beat until frothy. Add the Cream of Tartar OR Salt and keep beating on medium speed until soft peaks form. After the soft peaks form, slowly and gradually add the 1 tbsp of sugar while the mixer is still on medium speed. Keep whipping the egg whites until stiff peaks form. When you take out the whisk and flip it ride side up, the peak of whipped eggs should stay stiff and pointing up. If it falls, then stiff peaks have not formed yet. DO NOT over beat the whites. If you do so, they will deflate and liquify again. 

Take a small amount of the whipped egg whites and mix it into the yolk/chocolate mixture. This should lighten the mixture enough to allow you to fold in the rest of the whipped whites easily. Now, slowly fold in half of the remaining whipped whites. Gently fold them in so you incorporate them without deflating them. Fold in the rest of the whites and then evenly pour the mixture into four buttered and floured ramekins. Place on a cookie sheet and place them on the center rack in the oven. Bake for EXACTLY 11 minutes. If you bake them longer, they will cook all the way through, and then they will no longer be lava cakes. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and serve. You do not flip them out! Be careful as they will be hot. Serve 'em with some cream, some ice cream or just plain on their own: my personal favorite.

*NOTE: You can make these ahead of time and just cover them and place them in the fridge. When ready to bake, just preheat the oven and bake for 14 minutes.

ENJOY!