Caramel Chocolate Lava Cakes
It doesn't get more delicious than the infamous chocolate lava cake. This caramel chocolate lava cake version has a cakey exterior and an irresistible warm chocolate caramel center. It's the perfect individual dessert for dinner parties and special occasions.
Ingredients
Chocolate Caramel
- 5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, see notes
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- ⅓ cup heavy cream, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
Lava Cake
- Butter and cocoa powder, for greasing and dusting ramekins
- ½ cup butter
- 10 ounces semi-sweet or unsweetened chocolate
- 3 large eggs
- 3 large egg yolks
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Maldon sea salt
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
To make chocolate caramel
- Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or metal bowl over a pot of simmering water.5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
- Add the sugar and water to a large pot over medium heat (make sure the pot is large, it will bubble up lots). Cook until it is dark amber in color and reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit then remove the pot from the heat.1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water
- All at once add the whipping cream. Be very careful as it will steam and bubble ferociously. Whisk the mixture until the bubbling stops and the mixture is smooth. Add the melted chocolate and whisk till combined. Stir in butter and salt.⅓ cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon sea salt
To make the lava cake
- Liberally butter 4 (¾-cup) ramekins. Dust each with cocoa powder and tap upside down to remove excess. Why ⇢ Using cocoa powder instead of flour ensures that the cakes are a beautiful dark brown when you serve them.Butter and cocoa powder
- Melt the butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water.½ cup butter, 10 ounces semi-sweet or unsweetened chocolate
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks.3 large eggs, 3 large egg yolks
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the flour, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.½ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon sea salt
- When the chocolate has melted (allow it to cool for several minutes if it is hot) add it to the eggs and stir well. Then add the flour mixture and mix until it's smooth.
- Fill each ramekin halfway full with the cake batter. Then, place a small tablespoon of caramel on top and sprinkle it with a little Maldon salt. Cover with cake batter until ½ inch from the top of the ramekin.Maldon sea salt
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the cakes for 15-18 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a knife along the edges of the cake to loosen. Hold a plate over the top of each ramekin. Using oven mitts, turn the plate and ramekin over together so that the ramekin is inverted on the plate. Carefully remove the ramekin. Repeat with remaining ramekins and dust with icing sugar.Powdered sugar for dusting
Notes
Caramel: You will have more caramel than you need. Spoon the extra over the cakes after they come out of the oven, or eat it by the spoonful.
Cleaning: To clean the pot you made the caramel in, fill it with water and put it on the stove till the sugar has once again melted.
Make ahead: These can be made up to three days ahead. Store filled ramekins in the fridge and bring to room temperature before baking.
Ramekin size: The baking time can vary considerably depending on the size of your ramekins. If this amount of cake batter fills more than four, reduce the time they spend in the oven so they do not cook all the way through!
Chocolate: It's best to use good-quality chocolate. Inexpensive chocolate (like most chocolate chips) has very little cocoa butter and can seize and become really thick when heated.
Serving: 1 lava cake, Calories: 1298kcal, Carbohydrates: 121g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 95g, Saturated Fat: 56g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 28g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 383mg, Sodium: 1505mg, Potassium: 978mg, Fiber: 17g, Sugar: 79g, Vitamin A: 1580IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 163mg, Iron: 17mg