Chocolate Lava Cakes

Not only do these gluten-free chocolate cakes with molten centers make a stunning and rich dessert, they bake in less than 10 minutes. I recommend a mix of semisweet and bittersweet chocolate but go with what you like in the best quality you can get. I tested this recipe with butter, margarine, and coconut oil, and it tastes and bakes best with—you guessed it—butter. A dusting of confectioners’ sugar covers any rough spots from unmolding the cakes, but you can skip it if you prefer. You’ll need four 4-ounce ramekins. Adapted from Mark Bittman’s Molten Chocolate Cake recipe. Please see the important safety note below.

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Servings 4 individual servings (dairy or pareve)

Ingredients

4 ounces unsalted butter or margarine 1 stick or 4 ounces coconut oil, plus more for greasing the ramekins
Potato starch for coating the ramekins plus ½ teaspoon potato starch for the cakes
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate chopped or broken into pieces
2 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped or broken into pieces
4 large eggs 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks, preferably pasteurized (see note)
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract or flavoring
2 teaspoons almond flour
Confectioners’ sugar for garnish optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease the insides of the ramekins completely, then dust with potato starch; shake out the excess (this step is important for preventing the cakes from sticking). Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet.
Cut the butter into 4 or 5 pieces and combine with the chocolate. Melt in a double boiler or microwave. Mix well and set aside.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks with the ¼ cup of sugar until lightened in color, about a minute. Whisk in vanilla, almond flour, and ½ teaspoon potato starch, and then the chocolate mixture to combine well.
Divide the batter evenly among the ramekins. Transfer the pan of ramekins to the oven and bake until the cakes are slightly puffed and the sides are set but the centers still jiggle a bit, 7 to 9 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and let sit for 2 minutes. Run a knife between each cake and the inside of the ramekin to loosen. Using a towel or oven mitt to handle the hot ramekins, place an individual serving plate over each ramekin and invert. After 10 to 15 seconds, carefully remove the ramekins (it’s okay if some chocolate is oozing out). Dust with confectioners’ sugar (if using) and serve immediately.
To make this a few hours in advance, prepare the recipe up to the baking step. Cover the filled ramekins and refrigerate. To bake, uncover and set them out at room temperature for about 35 minutes before transferring to oven and allow 1 to 2 minutes longer to bake.

Notes

In my testing, the centers of the cakes did not reach 160 degrees, the FoodSafety.gov recommended temperature for safely cooking eggs to kill off any potential harmful bacteria. To avoid any risk, I suggest making this recipe with eggs that have been pasteurized in shell. I tested the cakes with Davidson’s Safest Choice Pasteurized Eggs—certified kosher, by the way—and they came out just fine. For retailers near you, see the company’s Web site, www.safeeggs.com/store-locator.