a Sea of Molten Lava Chocolate in a Volcano Cake Cup

One last Valentine's Day Idea, but first, here's a quick recap of a couple of VERY easy (yet dramatic looking) V-D ideas...

Tuxedo
Clad
Chocolate
Covered
Strawberries!

Heart

Shaped 

Pizza

From 

Scratch

with 

Heart

Shaped

Pepperoni

OK, back to the deep rich Dark Chocolate Pudding nestled into that adorable little Chocolate Cake cup...

Shhh... This is a Julia Child, "Who's to Know" moment.  The presentation was supposed to be a Lava Cake.  You've probably seen them, little cakes, served warm.  When you slice into them the chocolate pours out like lava.  Fun, easy, dramatic and delicious!  The pudding is hot, the cake provides texture and the taste is deep rich and wonderful.

Well... Best laid plans and all that, my little cakes lost their tops when I tried to make the presentation.  The bottom of the cake (well top after you flip em) stuck to the bottom of my bowls, exposing my sea of chocolate.

I was bummed, irritated, pissed and greatly disappointed.  These were to be the capping dessert to a dinner party and I was looking forward to the dramatic lava cakes.

But then I looked at em...

If I ignored the idea of "What I wanted them to look like" and pondered what I actually had... They were PERFECT!

A sea of rich thick warm chocolate pudding (the Lava) resting comfortably inside the chocolaty volcano mountain.  No dramatic pouring out of the lava, but the entire volcano presentation.

I grew from having to live with it to actually loving this.  Easily converted to a Lava Cake, just be sure to spray the bottom of the bowls with non stick spray.  Easily one of my "Top Five" desserts!

Oh, and the presentation with the fork negative image in powdered sugar is very easy.  Only slight trick is to sprinkle small amounts at a time over a fork and carefully lifting the fork off the plate without disturbing the sugar.  Several small sprinkles instead of many large clumps.

OK... here's what I did...

4 ounces Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate

1 Cup Confectioner's Sugar (more for decoration)

2 whole Eggs

2 Egg Yolks

6 TBS Flour

DO NOT SPRAY THE BOTTOM OF A Mise en Place BOWL.  This way, the bottom of the bowl will force the chocolate cake to stick.  If you want the cakes to come out like traditional Lava Cakes, be sure to spray the bowls.

• Heat oven to 425 degrees
• Melt Chocolate squares and butter in the microwave on high for 1 minute, stir to combine (Add additional 15 second bursts if needed).
• Stir in sugar and slowly add eggs and egg yolks and flour, stir until well mixed.
• Pour into 4 1/2 cup Ramekins (I use the small Mise en Place Bowls).
• Bake for 12 minutes until the sides are firm.  Allow to rest for 1 minute, use a knife edge and loosen around the sides.
• Carefully invert onto a plate.  If need be, remove bits of the top to make an even mountains.  Serve warm!

Printable recipe...
For the time being...

Click the image to the left for a printable copy of this recipe. When the large image appears, right click the image and select "Copy Image". Then open a word document file, click paste and print. Prints on an 8 1/2 by 11 sheet of paper.

Soon, it will become a PDF file that you simply have to click and print.