Take these gooey chocolate lava cakes to the next level with a scoop of vanilla coconut ice cream or tonka bean ice cream. They’re are a crowd-pleasing treat that’s unbelievably better when made fresh at home. They might look fancy or complicated, but they’re surprisingly easy to make. A simple chocolate caramel and chocolate cake batter are spooned into ramekins and baked until just set. We love that they’re individual servings, and they’re easy to prepare ahead of time. Serve them with some whipped cream or ice cream and a few fresh raspberries or strawberries. They’re the perfect sweet treat for dinner parties, special occasions, or for someone you love! If you prefer a gluten-free option, try our flourless molten chocolate lava cakes. Characteristically they’re made with just a few ingredients: butter, eggs, sugar, chocolate, and flour then baked in ramekins. They’re small, individual-sized cakes that are served warm with a soft liquid chocolate center. Here’s everything you’ll need to make the chocolate caramel sauce:
Semi-sweet chocolate – we use good quality baking chocolate, but you can also use chocolate chips. Sugar Water Heavy cream – bring your cream to room temperature before using. Butter – cut into small cubes so it melts more quickly. Sea salt
Butter Semi-sweet (or unsweetened) chocolate – if you prefer a less sweet cake, use unsweetened chocolate. Eggs + egg yolks – we use both eggs and egg yolks for a cake that’s more tender and rich. Flour – regular all-purpose flour is what we use. Powdered sugar – also called icing sugar or confectioners’ sugar, it mixes well into the batter. Keep a little extra for dusting. Cocoa powder Sea salt Maldon sea salt – the unique taste and texture of Maldon sea salt works great with caramel. Butter and cocoa powder – for greasing and dusting the ramekins.
You’ll also need four 6-ounce (¾ cup) ramekins and a candy thermometer. The only tricky part is nailing the baking time. In general, it’s better to undercook them (which means they’ll be messier looking) than to overcook them. Here’s how you’ll make the chocolate caramel: First, you’ll melt some chocolate. Next, you’ll heat sugar and water in a pot until they liquify and turn a dark amber color. Then you’ll pour some whipping cream into the pot and whisk whisk whisk until it is nice and smooth. Finally, you’ll stir in the melted chocolate, some butter, and salt. You’ve just made caramel! Note: Jamie has an excellent tutorial over at My Baking Addiction about how to make salted caramel. Here’s how to make the lava cakes: They’re the perfect dessert for dinner parties, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, or whenever you, or someone you love, are in the mood for a special chocolatey treat.
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