Molten Chocolate Cakes

Happy Valentine's Day! This day screams chocolate perhaps more than any other holiday. Here's a quick and easy solution. Dark chocolate will make this especially good. My dear husband, a certified chocoholic, nearly blew up the Dish DVR on our TV backing up an episode of Barefoot Contessa to get the name of her "favorite" restaurant in Paris that just happens to serve this dessert! Since neither of us speak French, it was quite a challenge to understand and then Google the name. But, we succeeded!
I even found a website, The Fork, that makes dinner reservations at any restaurant in the world (well.. almost) and we were set. I am happy to report that we enjoyed a delicious meal at a sidewalk table with a bowling lane view of the top 1/3 of the Eiffel Tower. Hey, it WAS Paris and he DID have the Molten Chocolate Cake. In his words, uuuuummmmmmm!!! Sweet memories!

Molten Chocolate Cakes

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
3 large eggs, separated
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon granulated white sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and place rack in center of oven. Generously butter four - 6 to 8 ounce molds, ramekins, or custard cups and dust the insides with granulated white sugar. Place the prepared molds on a baking sheet and set aside while you make the cake batter.

In a heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from heat and set aside while you beat the egg yolks.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar until thick, pale, and fluffy. (When you slowly raise the beaters the batter will fall back into the bowl in slow ribbons.) Beat in the vanilla extract and then fold in the melted chocolate mixture.

In another clean bowl whip the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and continue to whip until soft peaks form. Gradually add the 1 tablespoon of granulated white sugar and whip just until stiff peaks form. With a rubber spatula or wire whisk gently fold the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture, just until incorporated. Do not over mix or the batter will deflate. Divide the batter between the prepared molds. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the outside edges of the cakes are set but the middle still looks a little wet and wobbly. You may have cracks on the top surface of the cakes.

 Immediately remove from oven and let them rest for a minute or two. You can serve the cakes in their molds or you can run a palette or sharp knife around the edge of each cake and then invert onto the center of each serving plate. Carefully remove the mold. Sprinkle the top of each cake with confectioner’s sugar and place a dollop of softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top of each warm cake. 

Note: You can prepare the chocolate mixture several hours ahead of time. Simply make the recipe, pour into the prepared molds, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.  Bake just before serving. When the batter is cold the cakes may take a minute or two longer to bake.