Happy 2018 from New York City, where it “felt like” 4 degrees today! The next few weeks are some of the toughest of the year in the northeast — constant dark and cold temperatures! It’s a good thing we’ve got the promise of spring (11 weeks and counting!) and Molten Chocolate Toffee Cakes to keep us going.
When I was in college, these molten cakes made me a pretty popular lady — easy enough to execute in a questionable dorm kitchen (really!) but sophisticated enough to knock the socks off of your dinner guests, these were always a winner for me. This version ups the ante by incorporating an extra layer of goodness with a rich toffee sauce that goes both inside and outside. Top it all off with some crushed toffee, because it’s so simple and honestly why WOULDN’T you!?
The key with molten cakes is to keep them slightly underbaked so that they properly ooze molten goodness when you cut into them. Although this version also has the toffee sauce on top, I dare you to cut your cakes open before dressing them with the sauce (see photographic evidence of a proper ooze below!) — it’s the show-stopping moment that makes a molten cake worthwhile. These need to be served straight out of the oven, but the good news is that you can prep your batter in the ramekins ahead of time and just pop them in for 12 minutes before serving.
Molten Chocolate Toffee Cakes
The cake recipe is based on the one made famous by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Ingredients
Toffee Sauce
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 c. dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 c. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. water
Molten Cakes
1 stick (8 Tbsp.) unsalted butter
6 oz. dark chocolate chips or chunks
2 eggs + 2 egg yolks (at room temperature)
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Topping
1/2 c. crushed toffee-chocolate candy (like Health or Skor bar)
Instructions
Make the toffee sauce
Combine all toffee ingredients in a medium saucepan and melt together over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 6-8 minutes. Set aside to cool before using.
Make the molten cakes
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare four small ramekins by greasing the insides with a thin layer of butter and then coating with flour, taking care to tap out any excess flour at the end.
Over a double boiler, melt together the butter and chocolate, stirring to melt evenly. Alternatively, you can melt the ingredients together in a microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring after each round. Be very careful not to scorch the chocolate if you use this method (I prefer the double boiler). Set aside the melted chocolate to cool slightly.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, sugar and salt until pale yellow and light in texture. Mix in the melted chocolate mixture and combine thoroughly. Add the flour and mix thoroughly.
Fill the bottom of each ramekin about 1-inch full with the chocolate cake batter. Make a slight divot in the center of the batter and add 3/4 tsp. of the toffee sauce into the indent (the toffee sauce will firm up as it cools, and this step is easiest to do when the sauce is a bit more firm). Take care to contain the toffee to the center. Fill the ramekins up further to about 3/4 full.
Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes — you will see the cakes set around the edges but they will still look soft in the center. That’s what you’re looking for! Allow them to cool for one minute out of the oven and then immediately turn them onto serving plates, waiting about 10 seconds or so before unmolding.
Serve hot out of the oven with extra toffee sauce and crushed toffee candy.
Notes
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