Chocolate Lava Cake

The ideal delicious treat to serve while wanting to impress someone or mark Valentine’s Day is chocolate lava cake. When a quick, last-minute dessert is what you’re wanting, this one just requires seven pantry staples and takes under 25 minutes to prepare.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 22 minutes

Ingredients:

• 8 tbsp unsalted butter,
  
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  
• 1/4 cup sugar
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 large egg yolks
  
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1/4 tsp salt
  
• 3 tbsp of all-purpose flour

Optional toppings:

• Fresh berries
  
• Vanilla ice cream
  
• Powdered sugar
  
• Cocoa powder
  
• Caramel sauce
  
• Chopped nuts
  
• Whipped cream

Instructions:

1. Set the oven’s temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Four 6-ounce ramekins should be
   lightly buttered inside with butter using your fingertips.
   Melt the butter and chocolate:
   
2. About 2 inches of water should be in a medium pot. To gently boil the water, turn the heat
   up to medium-high. Put a medium heat-resistant bowl on the pot. The bottom of the bowl
   shouldn’t be in contact with the boiling water. It is referred to as a double boiler.
3. With a rubber spatula, combine the butter and chocolate chips in the bowl until completely
   melted. Set it aside for five to ten minutes to cool.
   The wet components should be combined:
   
4. In a different medium dish, whisk the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. Scrape the
   chocolate mixture into the egg mixture after it feels cool to the touch. To blend, stir.
   
5. Flour should be whisked in just until incorporated. Since the batter will be thick, you can if a
   necessary swap to a rubber spatula.
   
6. Place the ramekins on a baking sheet after distributing the batter among them evenly. The
   cores should still be soft but the edges should be firm after 11 to 12 minutes of baking. With
   your finger, carefully and cautiously poke the middle of a lava cake. Not entirely set, it should
   still jiggle. Bake for an additional 1 to 2 minutes if it is still liquid.

Serve:

1. Before serving, allow the lava cakes to cool for three minutes.
   
2. Cover a ramekin with an upside-down dessert plate to invert the lava cake. The ramekin should be carefully turned over down and left to stand for a short while. To remove the lava cake from the ramekin, lift it. While they are still warm, repeat the process with the remaining lava cakes.
   
3. You should consume your lava cakes warm, right away after they are taken out of the oven. As it cools, the molten center will begin to solidify.
   
4. The lava cakes can be served à la mode with caramel sauce, fresh berries, chopped almonds, or vanilla ice cream. They can also be dusted with cocoa powder or powdered sugar.