Oh, how I love the ritual of cooking. Baking…not so much. There’s something about the technicality of it that stifles my inner rebel; no dash of this or extra spoonful of that. There’s a science to baking and the measurements matter ever so much. Suffice to to say, when I do decide to make a go at the whole baking thang, it needs to be worth it. It needs to be soul-satisfying like a good hug on a bad day. And, clearly it needs to taste unquestionably delicious. Be it Valentine’s Day, or any other day where you want to treat yourself (or your honey) to a little…well, sugar – this chocolate cake, with its gooey center and picture perfect presentation, is a no-brainer. All my baking quandaries go out the window when I roll up my sleeves to make this one. Serve with ice cream, fresh berries, or just perfectly on its own.
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Melt the butter and the chocolate together.
- Combine the eggs, egg yolk and sugar together in a mixing bowl and beat for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Fold the flour and chocolate.
- Pour into 2-3 inch cake molds rimmed with greased parchment paper (as in the side image), or individual ramekins (as in the photo above).
- Bake for 6 to 8 minutes or until the edges are set and the middle is still soft. You want the center to be gooey, so I would stick to about six minutes since they will continue cooking from their own heat even when you pull them from the oven.
- Carefully lift cake molds, and remove parchment liner, unless in ramekins (in which case, you’re all set!)
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar or fresh berries if desired, then serve immediately with ice cream.
Enjoy!
Images via: MM, The Tig, Saveur