Lava Cake

Lava:

7/8 bar of 60% Cacao Chocolate Baking Bar, broken into 1/2 inch pieces

Pinch Salt

1/4 cup milk

3 Tbsp softened butter, cut into chunks

Instructions: 

- Put the chocolate & salt in a small bowl

- Bring milk to a simmer and immediately pour over chocolate.

- Shake bowl to submerge chocolate and cover it with plastic wrap for 3 minutes.

- Uncover and whisk until chocolate is completely melted.  Add butter and whisk until completely blended. 

- Refrigerate until mixture is form enough to scoop, about 2-3 hours.

- Use a spoon or small scoop to shape 8 balls, place them on a wax paper lined dish and put into the freezer until needed.

Cakes: 

2 bars 60% cacao baking bars

6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into chunks

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

3 large eggs, separated and at room temperature

3 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/2 tsp cream of tartar (or 1 1/2 tsp white vinegar)

1/3 cup sugar

Optional Powder sugar for sprinkling

As needed - Sugar to coat the cups

Instructions:

- Spray eight 6-oz custard cups or ramekins with vegetables oil spray and coat them with sugar, tapping out the excess.

- Put chocolate, butter and salt in a medium heatproof bowl (preferably stainless steel) and set it directly in a wide skillet of almost simmering water, stirring frequently until the chocolate is almost entirely melted.

- Remove the bowl from the skillet and stir to finish melting the chocolate. 

- Whisk the cocoa powder, flour, and egg yolks into the warm chocolate. Set aside.

- In a large bowl, beat the 6 egg whites and cream of tartar (or vinegar) on medium speed until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted.  

- Gradually beat in the sugar on high speed until the egg whites are stiff but not dry.

- Fold one quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture.  Scrape the mixture over the remaining egg whites and fold until just incorporated.

- Divide the batter evenly among cups (being careful not to deflate it by extra mixing or handling).

- Center a ball of lava on top of the batter in each cup.  Push the lava into the batter until is about 1/4 inch below the surface.  It should not touch the bottom of the cup.  Spread the batter to cover the lava ball.

- Cover the cups with plastic wrap until ready to bake.

- Fix one of your oven racks to the bottom 1/3 of the oven.  Now, preheat the oven to 400 F.

- Uncover the cups, set on a baking sheet and bake for 13-15 minutes until cakes are puffed and a tooth pick inserted in the center meets no resistance and emerges coated  with sauce that feels slightly warm when you touch it.  Please do not put hot chocolate sauce to your mouth.  If it is too hot, you can scald yourself.

- Let cakes rest for 3 minutes.

- Run a thin knife around the inside of the cup, pressing against the sides to avoid tearing the cake.  Cover each cup with a serving plate, invert and lift slowly. 

- Dust cakes with a little powdered sugar (if desired) and serve immediately.