Every once in awhile, you come upon a recipe so perfect, so simply and consistently outstanding, that it is virtually un-tweakable.

 

This recipe from Nigella Lawson’s acclaimed How to Be a Domestic Goddess is just such a recipe; I’ve made it countless times to stunning effect. The only reason I would have tweaked it would be for my own ego’s satisfaction and not because it would have improved it, which is why it comes to you essentially unaltered.

 

These little cakes are simple to make and splendid to present. The dense cake cracks open to reveal a cascade of luscious, oozing melted chocolate. Don’t worry, they are fully baked – the recipe calls for a heavier egg and fat to flour ratio than your typical cake, which keeps the center pudding-like, despite adequate time in the oven.

 

You can serve these cakes with any accompaniment, but I am exceedingly fond of crème fraiche for several reasons – 1) I tend to always have some in the house 2) it’s just a bit tart, which counterbalances the denseness and richness of the cakes beautifully 3) it’s not sugary – the last thing you want with such a chocolatey dessert is a bit more sugar.

 

Although the original recipe says that you can make the batter in advance and stick it in the fridge for a few hours, I’ve never had much luck with that, unless the batter has had a chance to come to room temperature. I would mix the batter just before sitting down to dinner and pop them in the oven after the main course; they only take 13 minutes to bake, which will give you time to digest.

 

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Baby Lava Cakes, 6 Servings

 

Ingredients:

 

12oz Bittersweet Chocolate

¼ Cup Butter, softened

½ Cup Sugar

4 Eggs

½ Tsp. Salt

1 Tsp. Vanilla

1/3 Cup Flour

Crème Fraiche, to serve

 

Preparation:

 

Grease the ramekins with butter (as an aside, I detest greasing pans for baking with spray non-sticks – they always smell vaguely metallic and never do quite as good a job as plain old butter.)

 

Fold a piece of parchment paper in two; lay three ramekins top-side down on the parchment paper and draw circles around their circumference. Cut the circles out and line the greased ramekins with them.

 

Pre-heat the oven to 400° with a cookie sheet warming inside.

 

 

Set the chocolate to melting over a double-boiler, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat once thoroughly melted and allow to cool.

 

 

Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a mixer and cream. Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each to be absorbed by the mixture before adding the next. Add the salt and vanilla. Once all of the liquid ingredients have been mixed thoroughly, add the flour and mix until incorporated.

 

Once the melted chocolate has cooled, stir this into the batter. The batter should be luscious, thick and glossy.

 

Divvy the batter amongst the ramekins. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven, place the ramekins on it and return to the oven. Bake the baby lava cakes for 13 minutes.

 

Remove the cakes from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, and then tip them, carefully, upside down onto a plate or into a steep bowl. Spoon on crème fraiche according to your liking.