CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE

Chocolate lava cake

Molten chocolate lava cakes have become quite the talk of the town in recent years – slightly crispy exterior opening to reveal a melting chocolate heart! They really are the best of both worlds… a chocolate pudding & chocolate cake combined.

Though I have to admit that I have shied away from serving these lovely cakes at dinner parties, as the whole de-moulding process can go so terribly wrong – towers cracking, chocolate promenading, desert plates ruined.

It was Katya’s TEA CUP idea that solved the problem! Five to six cups (sturdy Ikea variety works best), are buttered & sprinkle with crystally demerara sugar, then covered with unctuous chocolate batter. After being perfectly cooked, they are served with a dollop of whipped cream & powdered with coco or spice.

The presentation is beautiful, the taste divine & gone is the impending doom of serving. You don’t even need to rush out & buy expensive fancy moulds to make this desert!

See link ‘Chocolate lava cakes‘ below for recipe:

A SIDE NOTE: As everyone’s oven is different as are their tea cups, in my experience it is best to do a trial run of this desert before the Queen mother arrives on your door steps.  A cooking time of 14 minutes might work perfectly for me, but perhaps you will need a minute more or a minute less to get your desired lava texture. Please see *** below.

RECIPE – SWEET PEA Blog

• 125gr Dark chocolate (70%)
• 125gr Unsalted butter (at room temperature)
• 2 eggs
• 90gr white sugar
• pinch of salt
• 75gr white all-purpose flour
• 100mL full fat (whipping) cream
• coco powder for decoration*
• demerara sugar ** (approx. 5+ tablespoons)  + butter for tea cups

* You can decorate with ground cinnamon, nutmeg or coffee as you prefer

** Use white sugar to coat the tea cups if you do not have demerara sugar

1. First butter 5 tea cups (size 9x5cm, 125mL = 1cup).  Place a heaping tablespoon of demerara sugar into each cup and roll around till all side are evenly coated up to the top of the cup. Set aside
2. Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F
3. In a bain-marie melt the chocolate & butter
4. Beat the eggs well. Gradually add the white sugar. Beat until light in colour & frothy
5. Slowly add the chocolate/butter mix
6. Add the flour & pinch of salt
7. Fill each tea cup halfway with chocolate mixture
8. Place the tea cup on a baking sheet
9. Cook for 14 minutes***
10. While waiting beat the whipping cream
11. Serve molten cakes immediately with a dollop of cream & sprinkle with coco

***Each oven is different. Try cooking the cake for 12 minutes then test with a tooth pick  – you want the exterior to be just cooked & the interior of the cake to stay liquid. NOTE: keep in mind that when the cakes are removed from the oven, the tea cup is still very hot, so they will cook a little bit more.