Some people jump out of airplanes to get their adrenaline rushes.
Others run marathons.
Me? I get my adrenaline from crazy recipes like this one.
I tell you, it’s not for the faint of heart, but oh it is worth it.
It all started when I was trying to plan a Valentine’s Day dinner for my husband and me. He loves chocolate lava cakes, but due to a limited number of ramekins, fears of failure, and a desire for something a little more foolproof, I was hesitant.
So, I looked around on the internet, found three solid options, and presented them to him. Lo and behold, he chose this one.
I decided I was up for the challenge and took a shot-by-shot approach to this recipe.
Here’s the melted chocolate, beaten egg whites (stiff peaks), and beaten egg yolks. This recipe is not your average one-bowl chocolate cake.
Another view of my counter. I’m not used to taking so many prep shots, but this was a great recipe for that.
Soft peaks!
Preparing to fold the chocolate into the egg yolks. Density comes into play here. SCIENCE!
Happy little cake all ready to go into the oven!
After the first stint in the oven. Look at that flaky crust!
Pre-second venture into the oven- gooey batter included.
Post-second bake. This was about 5 minutes before I almost dive bombed into the cake! I am proud of this shot.
And this is what happens when you try to cut into the cake: it oozes!
The cake is ready to eat!
Double-Baked Molten Lava Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips)
- 1/2 pound unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 7 large eggs, separated
- 1 1/3 cups sugar, separated
Instructions
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan. (I also lined the outside of mine with foil because I've had some issues with dripping in the past.)
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring often. Whisk in the cocoa powder and salt once chocolate and butter are melted. Mix until smooth. Set aside.
- Separate the eggs so you have a bowl of 7 yolks and a bowl of 7 whites. In a stand mixer, beat the egg yolks with 2/3 cup of sugar on high until pale and light. This took mine about 3 minutes (I then transferred the beaten yolks to another bowl and washed the mixer and whisk attachment so I could use it to beat the egg whites). (The science here is amazing!)
- Now beat the egg whites in a stand mixer until soft peaks form. (If you're mystified by the soft/firm peaks question, check out <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/a-visual-guide-soft-peaks-firm-115557" target="_blank">this guide</a>. After you have soft peaks, add in the remaining 2/3 cup sugar until the egg whites are firm and glossy/shiny.
- In a large bowl, gently fold the egg yolks into the melted chocolate mixture until combined. Then add in the egg whites until no streaks of white remain.
- Reserve 2 cups of the cake batter and refrigerate. You'll use this later: it will become the gooey topping when you bake the cake for the second time.
- Pour the remaining batter into the springform pan and bake for 25 minutes. It'll seem underdone, but that's kind of the whole point.
- Allow the cake to cool. Store in the fridge for at least 2 hours or until you're ready to bake it again. You'll likely see the surface of your cake change from smooth to sunken in the middle with a higher rim around the edges. This is supposed to happen! It means you'll have a "crater" to pour the reserved batter into later.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Separate the outer part (girdle?) from the bottom of the springform pan. (I then placed the cake on a cookie sheet for easy transfer to and from the oven.) Pour the reserved batter over top of the cake. Then bake the cake for 10-15 minutes until a thin crust forms on top. (Again, it'll seem underdone, but that's the whole point.)
- Allow to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Once cool, cut into slices and serve warm, ideally with ice cream (but only a little-this cake is RICH). Store leftover cake in the fridge for up to one week.
Wow, deadly ….. will have to try this
. 7 eggs? Holy laying hens!!!!
Love you
Mom
Yes, Mom! Whipping the yolks and whites into puffy clouds of foam is such a sciency, nerdy thrill for the inner chemist :).
Christopher is going to want to be your new best friend when I tell him about this cake. 😉 Looks delicious!
Thanks, Rach! Glad you found the blog :).