If you are not local to me, or if you simply live under a rock and missed it, here is the Molten Chocolate cake article that appeard in CHARM magazine on January 26th. *sigh* BEWARE: I ate...well, about three...completely on my own...so be sure to wear stretchy pants, 'kay?
"Somewhere circa 1996 I was living
in Columbus, Ohio and up to my eyeballs in restaurant work while planning my
wedding. A co-worker attempted to calm
my frazzled self by making an off-hand comment that “chocolate calms the nerves in women”. Throwing caution to the wind and forgetting
all about fitting into my wedding gown, I made a bee-line for the Russell
Stover’s outlet as soon as my shift had ended. One doesn’t have to tell me
twice that chocolate might be my cure. The same co-worker later introduced me
to my first elliptical which I promptly moved into the basement of my West
Columbus home and used faithfully each night – I’ll do whatever it takes to
keep the chocolate habit alive and well. Both chocolate and the elliptical remain two
of my favorite pass-times – one quite deserving of the other. Now, nearly
fifteen years later, I maintain that chocolate does in fact calm the nerves in
any gender. The melt-in-your-mouth richness, the soothing delectability, the
perfect finish to a romantic dinner - chocolate pacifies the soul, lifts the
spirit, and brightens the day. A rich reward for a job well done, a mother’s
indulgence during the nap time of a toddler, or a balm to appease a time of
stress – chocolate knows no boundaries. This cake is the perfect embodiment of
all things chocolate – a chocolate lovers dream. The soft cake shell will
quickly give way to a warm center of rich, buttery, pudding-like goodness – a
perfect finale to a romantic Valentine’s dinner.
Convenient to assemble ahead of time and refrigerate while preparing the rest of your meal, you can then easily pop them into a pre-heated oven before you are ready to serve. Enjoy!"
Convenient to assemble ahead of time and refrigerate while preparing the rest of your meal, you can then easily pop them into a pre-heated oven before you are ready to serve. Enjoy!"
Molten Chocolate Cake
11 Tbs. unsalted butter cut into
small pieces, plus more for ramekins
½ cup all-purpose flour, plus
more for ramekins
1 ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate
chips
5 large eggs, room temperature
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
Butter and flour six 6-oz.
ramekins (approximately 2 inches deep). Melt butter and chocolate in a double
boiler or a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. While the
chocolate and butter are melting, whisk together the eggs and sugar at high
speed until pale and thick, about 4-5 minutes. Sift together flour and salt in
another bowl and set aside. When eggs have thickened, fold into melted
chocolate and then immediately fold in flour mixture. Divide batter evenly
among ramekins and transfer to a rimmed sheet pan. Refrigerate for at least one
hour. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake until just set – about 14-16
minutes. Let cool for about 3 minutes and turn cakes out onto plates – serve immediately
while warm.
