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Valentine's Day: Double Chocolate Lava Baby Cakes

Source of Recipe

BHG


Recipe Introduction

Dense chocolate cake hides a rich torrent of caramel in this pint-size dessert.

List of Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces (1 cup)
• 1 recipe Praline Sauce (see below)
• 3 eggs
• 3 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup pecan halves, toasted



Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour six 1- to 1 1/4-cup souffl¿ dishes or six 10-ounce custard cups. Place souffl¿ dishes or custard cups in a shallow baking pan and set pan aside. In a heavy small saucepan melt butter and semisweet chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool.

2. Meanwhile, prepare Praline Sauce, cover and keep warm until needed.

3. In a large mixing bowl beat eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored. Beat in cooled chocolate mixture on medium speed. Sift flour and cocoa over chocolate mixture; beat on low speed just until combined. Divide batter evenly into prepared dishes or cups.

4. Bake 10 minutes. Pull cakes out of oven. Using a small spatula or table knife, puncture top of each partially-baked cake and gently enlarge to make a dime-sized hole. Slowly spoon about 1 tablespoon Praline Sauce into center of each cake. Return cakes to oven. Bake 5 minutes more or until cakes feel firm at the edges.

5. Cool in dishes on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Using a small spatula or knife, loosen cake edges from sides of dish or cup and slip cake out upright onto individual dessert plates. Stir 1/3 cup toasted pecan halves into the remaining Praline Sauce. If necessary, stir 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water into remaining sauce to thin. Spoon warm Praline Sauce on top of cakes. Top with pecan halves and sweetened whipped cream. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.


Praline Sauce: In a heavy medium saucepan combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons dark colored corn syrup. Stir in 1/2 cup whipping cream. Cook over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Makes 1 cup sauce