Preparing for Thanksgiving – Chocolate lava cake

Nothing annoys me more than the ubiquitous molton chocolate cake. You know, the one that's on every dessert menu around the country, the one that takes that extra 20 minutes after you order it. The one they make "special."

This is, of course, until you make it yourself. It's easy to scoff at the professionals. They do it for a living. You do it, well, because you want to. And all the people around you expect you to make desserts constantly, because that's the role you have established for yourself. So, live up to it, dammit, and make these for Thanksgiving. They're easy to make ahead and you keep them in the fridge up to 24 hours before you're ready to cook them. You can also freeze them in the ramekins for those people that pop round, often people like you that scoff at chocolate lava cake in a restaurant. They won't do it here, I assure you.

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated.

You need:

10 tbsps (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, diced
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
2 tbsps cornstarch
3 large eggs plus 4 large yolks at room temperature
2 tsps Grand Marnier (I used Cointreau though)

• Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat to 357°F. Lightly butter 8 ramekins.
• Melt bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate and 10 tbsps butter in a bowl over simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth.
• In a large bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups sugar and cornstarch together. Add chocolate mixture and stire to combine. Add eggs, yolks and liquor and whisk unti fully combined. Scoop 1/2 a cup of batter into each buttered ramekin (you can see here I made it smaller and used espresso cups – this recipe is very rich).
• Place filled ramekins on baking sheets and bake until tops are set, have formed shiny crusts and are beginning to crack, 16-20 minutes. Cool for before serving and definitely serve with ice cream. They need the contrast between hot and cold and something to cut through the richness of the chocolate.

Comments

[Anh]

Soooo good! I have never made Chocolate lava cake at home. Now you have truly inspired me!

[Tea]

mmmmmm, the best. Since I can't taste it, I will enjoy in the photos ;)
We have been serving it at school with raspberry puree, and some whipped cream :))

[natasha]

They are definitely good to keep in the freezer for last minute desserts when you haven't got the time or the inclination to make an impressive dessert. Wish I had made these at school and hadn't just got to them now!

Anh – I just booked a trip for Michael and I for the holidays, we will be in Vietnam for a month, travelling from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. Any advice for me?

[tommy]

Vietnam for a month, that sounds amazing. I'll be in Portland Oregon next week. The first picture is so nice, I can almost taste the chocolate. I should get around to making this at home. Everyone keeps saying how easy it is.

[natasha]

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/26/dining/26port.html?ex=1191470400&en=d3adc9bcf2e1b611&ei=5070&emc=eta1

You have to check these places out then! My friend Melissa is from there and she raves about the food.

Definitely make these lava cakes, they are very, very easy!

[Patricia Scarpin]

Wow, Natasha! What a sinful and delicious recipe!