decadent chocolate lava cake

how in the world do you make chocolate lava cake? i imagined it to be some divine, unreachable feat only achieved by accomplished chefs and bakers. but why? was it really that difficult for me to imagine that lava cake, simply, is under-baked cake? lava cake still rests on a pedestal of divinity in my mind, but for reasons aside from it's supposed difficulty : the taste.

this cake is rich, and that's an understatement. if you're baking for a romantic dinner for two, i'd suggest baking one. i made two and neither my boyfriend or i could finish ours, though we tried. depending on the size of your ramekins, this recipe could make 2, 3 or even 4 cakes.

special thank to chef john of foodwishes for this recipe. i've been watching his videos non stop.

• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3.5 oz. dark chocolate - i used gharidelli 60% cocoa
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 4 teaspoons cocoa powder - i used nestle
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

1. combine eggs & sugar in a bowl and beat with a whisk or electric mixer until light and fluffy.
2. slice butter into chunks for easier melting, and break pieces of chocolate up as well. combine in a bowl and microwave until melted and creamy. combine butter and chocolate mixture with eggs and sugar.
3. add sifted cocoa powder and flour, whisk together.
4. add vanilla, pinch of salt and combine.
5. butter your ramekin dishes sufficiently, or spray with cooking spray. fill your ramekins as desired with lava cake batter. cover with plastic wrap and let chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
6. after chilling, preheat your oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. place your ramekins in a casserole dish spaced apart, then fill the casserole dish with warm water; the water doesn't have to be boiling, i got mine from the sink. i filled the dish until the water was halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
7. put the dish in the oven and bake for 15-18 minutes. your cooking time will vary depending on your oven. however, the desired result is just a crusted outside with gooey interior, so don't worry about it too much! i baked mine for around 17 minutes.
8. let your lava cakes cool in the casserole dish for 10-15 minutes.
9. once they've cooled, you might need to use a knife around the edges of the cake inside to make sure it slides out easily. put a plate on top of your ramekin, flip, and you're done! sprinkle with powdered sugar as desired. adding a raspberry or caramel sauce on top would also be a great addition.