One of my favorite desserts to prepare for my guests is the Warm Chocolate Cake. The warm gooey center, not unlike chocolate molten lava, is so sinfully decadent it’s very surprising how easy it is to prepare. This ranks on the top of my hubby’s list of best dessert ( and as I’ve stated earlier he is not big on dessert but he is big on chocolate). It’s an impressive dessert too , one that you would expect from a fine dining restaurant so it ‘s a win-win situation. The only trick lies in the timing. In my old oven it took exactly 12 minutes, in my new oven it is around 10 minutes. The best way to tell if it is done is when the outer rim is cooked like a brownie but the center is still jiggly. I have tested different recipes of this. I’ve even seen some that required putting a little chocolate in the center. Another recipe by Gordon Ramsay “Gordon Ramsay Makes it Easy” is also good but is a bit more involved and the chocolate center is thicker because I think it uses more flour. The absolute best recipe I think is by Jean-Georges Vongerichten from the cookbook “The Chef of the Times”. It is great served with vanilla ice cream and some fresh berries especially raspberry.

Makes 4 servings

8 tbs unsalted butter

2 teaspoon all-purpose flour

4 oz bittersweet chocolate

2 large eggs

2 egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Butter and lightly flour 4 6-ounce molds, custard cups, ramekins, or similar containers. Tap out excess flour. Either in a double boiler or small saucepan, gently heat butter and chocolate together until chocolate is almost completely melted. In the meantime, beat eggs, yolks, and sugar together with a whisk or electric beater until light and thick.

2. Beat melted chocolate and butter together. While still warm, pour into egg mixture, and then quickly beat in flour until combined.

3. Divide batter among molds. (At this point you can refrigerate desserts for several hours, until ready to eat. Bring to room temperature before cooking.)

4. Bake molds on a baking sheet for 12 minutes; the center will still be quite soft, but the sides will be set.

5. Invert each mold onto a plate and let sit about 10 seconds. Unmold by lifting up one corner of mold; cake will fall out onto plate. Serve immediately