Mini chocolate lava cakes
The ultimate decadent and warming winter dessert, these chocolate lava cakes are the perfect mini portion that work as well for a quick kid-pleaser as they do a dinner party finale guaranteed to impress your guests! Be sure to serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollops of whipped cream.
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
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170g Finest Dark Chocolate
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6 Tbsp Butter, plus extra for greasing
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4 Free Range Eggs (2 full eggs & 2 egg yolks)
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1 tsp Vanilla Essence
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6 Tbsp White Sugar, plus extra for dusting
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¼ cup Flour
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1 Tbsp Icing Sugar, to serve (optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220°C. Prepare 4 mini cocottes by generously greasing with butter and dust with sugar.
- Place the chocolate and butter in a large heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Whisk occasionally until melted and smooth. Set aside.
- Add the eggs, vanilla essence and sugar to a medium mixing bowl and whisk until thick, foamy and pale. Add the flour and whisk vigorously until fully combined. Add the melted chocolate to the egg mixture and fold gently to combine.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared cocottes and bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 1 minute.
- Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately while hot.
Top tip:
- How do I know if my lava cake is baked? It will be set but slightly jiggly. We recommend around 6-8 minutes, but also the lava cake will keep cooking in the mini cocottes while they are cooling, so these are best served right away for the perfect gooey texture.
Recipe Tips and FAQs:
- How do I know if my lava cake is baked? It will be set but slightly jiggly. We recommend around 6-8 minutes, but also the lava cake will keep cooking in the mini cocottes while they are cooling, so these are best served right away for the perfect gooey texture.
- What is the best way to store my lava cakes when done? You can leave them in the mini cocottes and either wrap them or store in an airtight container in the fridge when cooled. These are just as delicious cold or reheated the next day.
- Can I reheat my lava cakes? Yes, they won’t be as gooey as the first time round but they are just as delicious. If they have been in the refrigerator, take them out to come to room temperature and then warm them in their cocottes, in an oven at 180°C for 5-7 minutes or until warmed through.
- Can I make this dairy-free? Yes, use dairy-free butter and dark chocolate should have no milk in the ingredients.
- Why do I dust the mini cocottes with sugar? This forms a crisp outer layer on the lava cake to make it firmer.