Molten Lava Cakes

What do you do to celebrate Valentine's Day? This year, we're doing something extra special.  Our 15 year old, Jake,  has a church basketball game at- get this, 6:30 PM, February 14.
Uh.
Hello.
Person who set up the church-ball schedule: IT'S VALENTINES DAY, EVENING. WHATEVER.
If you are looking for a special treat to whip up for your sweetheart on Feb 14, try these lava cakes. I've made them twice in the past two weeks. They're quick and easy and absolutely decadent.

Molten Lava Cakes

adapted from Paula Deen

print recipe

6 (1-ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate
2 (1-ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, or semi sweet chocolate chips
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 stick) butter

1 1/2 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar

3 large eggs, beaten
3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup all purpose flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Generously grease 6-8 (6-ounce) custard cups. 

Melt the chocolates and butter in the microwave, or in a double boiler. Remove from heat.  Add the sugar to chocolate mixture. Mix until dissolved.  Whisk in the eggs and yolks until smooth. Add the vanilla. Fold in the flour, just until flour is no longer visible. 

Divide the batter evenly among the custard cups. 

Place in the oven and bake for about 12 minutes. The edges should be firm but the center will be soft. Remove from oven. Let sit on counter for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edges to loosen and invert onto dessert plates.

Tips:

-Use good quality chocolate. I like Ghiradelli Bittersweet, sold in the baking aisle. 

-Make sure to generously grease the cups, or you will have a hard time removing the cakes in one piece. 

-I tested this recipe twice, found the following: it yields either 6 large cakes, meaning 6 lava cakes for people who really like a rich, good size portion of dessert. If you are serving this with ice cream and berries, you can get by with a smaller portion, or portioning out the batter into 8 cups. 

Baking time- The original recipe calls for baking at 425, I found this a little too high, and adjusted to 400 the second time. Make sure the outer edges of the cake is done, or springs back when touched, and the center has a crust on top, but is still gooey. 

-If baking ahead, you may bake the cakes for about 10 minutes and let sit for a few minutes, run the knife around the edges and let cool. When ready to serve, invert and microwave for about 15 seconds, or leave in custard cups and cover with foil and warm in the oven at 275 for about 10 minutes. 

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