This time every year we immerse ourselves in chocolate in our quest to test and develop new sinfully decadent chocolate recipes for our readers for Valentine’s Day.  This year we experimented with individual chocolate cakes using dark chocolate centers that melt as the cake bakes resulting in a light and airy chocolate cake with a melted chocolate ‘lava’ center finished with fresh sliced strawberries: ‘Chocolate Lava Cake’.  This cake will stand up to any wheat variation and will fool anyone into thinking that it is not a gluten-free dessert.  This cake is also as easy to make as it is to devour!  

It is literally easy as 1. 2. 3.

• Melt chocolate and cream together and chill.  When chilled, roll chocolate into balls.
• Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla until pale and thick.  Fold chocolate and gf flour into egg mixture.
• Spoon batter into ramekins and place a chocolate ball in the center of each ramekin; bake.

To make this even easier, we made the chocolate balls in the morning and made the rest of the cake right after dinner; it literally takes about 15 minutes to make the rest of the cake and 15 minutes to bake!

Ideal for any Valentine, this luscious dessert is also perfect to serve to guests.  Just pop it in the oven after the meal has been enjoyed and your guests will experience a delectable surprise as they cut into the cake to find warm melted chocolate centers.

To make this cake extra special, add a few drops of your favorite liqueur to the chocolate and cream after it has melted to create extraordinary flavored melted chocolate centers.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Chocolate Lava Cake

Serves 6
Ingredients:

For centers:

• 2 oz. semi-sweet gf chocolate, chopped (we used Scharffen Berger)
• 1/4 cup whipping cream

For cake:

• Unsalted butter or gf non-stick cooking spray for ramekins
• 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup gf flour mix
• Fresh strawberries for garnish

Directions:

For centers:

Add chocolate and whipping cream to the top of a double boiler over simmering water.  Stir until all is melted and blended.  Remove from heat and place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to chill.  When chilled, scoop chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula and form into 6- 1" balls.  Place balls in a small bowl and keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Butter or spray 6 ramekins with gf non-stick cooking spray.

Add 4 oz. chopped chocolate and butter to the top of a double boiler over simmering water.  Stir until melted and blended; remove from heat.  Add eggs, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla to a medium bowl and beat on high speed for about 5 minutes, until pale and thick.  Fold melted chocolate and flour into egg mixture until all is blended.  Spoon batter into ramekins.  Place 1 chocolate ball in the middle of each ramekin.  Gently press ball to bottom of ramekins.  Bake for 15 minutes; remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.  Run a small knife along the edge of the ramekins and invert onto serving plates.  Top each lava cake with sliced strawberries.  Serve immediately.

- Chef Yvonne

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