Molten Chocolate Cake

Active Time: 20 MIN
Total Time: 35 MIN
Yield Serves 4: MAKES FOUR 4-OUNCE CAKES

It seems as though every restaurant in America offers a version of this amazing cake created by master chef JeanGeorges Vongerichten. But his supremely rich and chocolaty original is in a class by itself. Molten chocolate cakes became famous for a reason: they are cakey on the outside with an irresistible center of warm dark chocolate flowing through the middle. The first time you try one, it may seem like magic, but this recipe is actually quite easy to make and ready in under an hour.
"Molten Ingredients

1 stick (4 ounces)
unsalted butter
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

How to Make It

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 450°. Butter and lightly flour six 4-ounce ramekins. Tap out the excess flour. Set the ramekins on a baking sheet.

Step 2
In a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the butter with the chocolate. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the egg yolks, sugar and salt at high speed until thickened and pale.

Step 3
Whisk the chocolate until smooth. Quickly fold it into the egg mixture along with the flour. Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekins and bake for 11 minutes, or until the sides of the cakes are firm but the centers are soft. Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then cover each with an inverted dessert plate. Carefully turn each one over, let stand for 10 seconds and then unmold. Serve immediately.

Make Ahead
The batter can be refrigerated for several hours; bring to room temperature before baking.

Suggested Wine Pairing
Baby Blue Red or Best Barrels Merlot are unexpected tablemates for this cake. I learned this by chance at a winemaker dinner in Georgia at the fabulous Barnsley Gardens resort. The chef paired a dark chocolate dessert with Baby Blue and it rocked! The Merlot with its soft approachability and blue fruit flavors is a perfect pairing for chocolate – especially for dark chocolates.

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Credit to Food and Wine Magazine