Chocolate Volcano

Chocolate lava cake is firm and cake-like on the outside but when you slice into it, the cake oozes out with warm and moist chocolate goodness. It is an elegant yet simple recipe that never fails to impress. According to legend, a culinary accident resulted to the invention of the chocolate lava cake. It is said that a French chef, making individual chocolate cakes, took the cakes out of the oven too soon and thus the centers did not have time to cook. The chef did not have enough time to cook the cake further thus the dessert was simply introduced as chocolate lava cake and it was a great sensation. It soon became popular across France and today is one of the most popular chocolate desserts in the world.

Also known as molten chocolate cake, chocolate fondant pudding, or “chocolate moelleux” in French, molten chocolate cake bakes only in less than fifteen minutes. Thus it is a rather convenient dessert dish to attempt to bake. First-time bakers can attempt their first chocolate cake by making chocolate lava cake rather than making the usual brownies. They need not worry about “under cooking” since undercooking is the point of this recipe. You can also prepare the cake in advance and place the batter in the ramekins. When your guests are finished with the main course, pop them in the oven and serve them nice and warm effortlessly and seamlessly just in time. Check out more recipes at Gourmandia.ca

So that they are easier to serve to individual guests you can make the individual cakes in ramekins. When done, you can run a small sharp knife gently around the inside of each ramekin then place a serving dish on top. Invert the chocolate cake onto the dish and remove the ramekin so that the bottom of the cake is now the top. With whipped cream or fresh strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries garnish the chocolate lava cake for an elegant presentation and sophisticated finish to a fancy dinner.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup melted butter
3 large beaten egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla
5 tbs. icing sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degree F. Whisk together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Then stir in the butter until the mixture is well combined and crumbly.

2. Add the egg whites and vanilla. Stir by hand, just until the dough comes together.

3. Into a shallow dish place the icing sugar. Roll the dough into small balls. Then coat the balls in icing sugar.

4. On a greased cake tin place the batter. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes, or until just set around the edges. Then allow to cool before serving.