Individual Chocolate Caramel Lava Cakes
While I like the general sentiment of Valentine’s Day we don’t get overly involved in crazy gift-giving. Instead, we like to stick to sweet simple gifts, homemade crafted items and home cooked meals. This year I plan on making these awesome individual chocolate caramel lava cakes for our Valentine’s Day dessert. (It is anyone’s guess whether we’ll be celebrating while both kids are asleep or with a wide-awake newborn sitting alongside the table in a swing!) Either way, these cakes are so much simpler than they look. They come together in a snap and always look impressive when “dressed up” for the table.
I choose to stuff these with caramel, but you could also try another store bought sauce like one of the several Stonewall Kitchen varieties, or your own homemade raspberry coulis. For the rest of our menu I plan to make an awesome roast chicken, a yet-to-be-determined potato side and some of our favorite green beans with almonds from my book. While it won’t be a super fancy meal full of foams and exotic ingredients it will be cozy and heartfelt, just what the holiday should be!
Recipe
Individual Chocolate Caramel Lava Cakes
Ingredients
| 4 | ounce dark chocolate, finely chopped |
| 3 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
| 2 | large eggs |
| ¼ | cup granulated sugar |
| 1 | tablespoon vanilla extract |
| ½ | teaspoon kosher salt, divided |
| 1 | tablespoon all-purpose flour |
| 6 | soft caramels, unwrapped |
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter and flour 6 4-ounce oven proof ramekins and set aside.
2. In a heatproof bowl melt the dark chocolate and butter together in the microwave and stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer combine the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and half of the kosher salt. And beat the mixture until it has doubled in volume and is thick and fluffy. About 5 minutes. Fold in the flour, followed by the chocolate mixture until it is just evenly combined and no streaks remain.
4. Divide the chocolate mixture evenly amongst the ramekins, filling each one about ¾ full. Press a caramel into the top of each cake and add a pinch of kosher salt on top of each caramel. Cover the caramel with a thin layer of the chocolate batter.
5. Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake for about 8 to 10 minutes. Then remove from the oven and allow to cool for 2 minutes in the ramekins. Then, run a knife around the outside of each cake and invert them onto dessert plates. Serve!
Naptime Notes
Naptime Recipe Serving ideas
Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. The longer these cakes bake the cakier the center becomes, so underbake them slightly for a melting chocolate center.
Naptime Stopwatch
15 minutes prep time, 12 minutes bake time
Naptime Reviews
A decadent and delicious romantic dessert!
I saw your heart-shaped waffles & LOVE them! I’d like to be entered in the contest to win a King Arthur Heart-Shaped Waffle maker. I would use your yummy recipe and add some shaved Dove Chocolate Discoveries TM Chef Series Chocolate (dark is my favorite & most healthful) to the waffle batter. If I win the waffle maker, I may make chocolate waffles for “Chocolate Week” on Long Beach Island, NJ. I became an Independent Dove Chocolatier in August and life has never been sweeter! I’d love you to try some of our Dove chocolate in your recipes. Please visit my website at http://www.mydcdsite.com/LaLa I’m subscribing to your newsletter. So glad to have found your info.! Laura Ellen
Is there an option to cook besides ramekins? I confess I don’t own any, and there’s really no room in the kitchen too add any.
Hi! Yes , use 6 cups of a regular muffin tin!
I love caramel! These sound delicious. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I promise, you will love these!
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