Wolfgang Puck’s Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes

One of the most popular desserts around may seem like a magic trick, when you cut into a tender round of cake and warm chocolate fudge flows out. Follow this easy recipe, however, and you should get great results every time.

Directions:

1. Preheating the oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F, positioning a rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Buttering the ramekins: In a microwave-proof bowl in the microwave oven, or in a small saucepan over low heat, melt 3 ounces of the butter. With a brush, generously butter the insides of 8 (4-ounce) ramekins or other round ovenproof baking containers. Arrange on a baking tray. Set aside.
3. Melting the chocolate: In a bowl, combine the chocolate and remaining butter. Melt over a double boiler.
4. Mixing the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the wire whisk attachment, beat together the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar for 3 minutes over medium speed. Add the warm chocolate and butter mixture, scraping it into the bowl with a rubber spatula. Mix at low speed until well blended. Stir in the flour.
5. Baking the cakes: Spoon the batter evenly into the 8 buttered cups. Bake for 5 minutes. Rotate the baking tray 180 degrees and continue to bake 3 minutes longer, until the sides of the cakes look firm but the centers still seem moist and look slightly sunken.
6. Resting the lava cakes: Remove the tray from the oven and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Serving the lava cakes: To serve, use a flexible oven glove or heatproof pad or towel to grip a cup firmly and invert it onto a serving plate; lift off the cup to unmold. (If it won't unmold, use a thin knife to loosen its edge all around the side.) Repeat with the remaining cakes. Serve immediately, with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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[Credit: recipe courtesy of WolfgangPuckCookingSchool.com] Wolfgang Puck, Chef, WolfgangPuck.com