Mini Chocolate lava cakes with bitter chocolate

Ingredients

-250g butter, softened

-100g granulated sugar (125ml)

-3 large eggs

-3 egg yolks

-500g chocolate, melted

-140g cake flour (250ml)

-100g pecan nuts, finely chopped (250ml optional)

-5ml vanilla essence

-180g good quality bitter chocolate broken into 6 x 30g squares

-250ml thick cream, whipped

-60g bitter chocolate, grated

Serves 6

 

Instructions

1.Pre-heat oven to 180⁰c. Grease 6 medium sized ramekin dishes or individual baking moulds. Place a piece of baking paper in the base of the dish.

2.Cream the butter and the sugar in the bowl of an electric food mixer. Mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

3.Add the eggs and the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

4.Add in the cooled melted chocolate and mix to blend in.

5.Add the flour, nuts and vanilla essence and mix just until the batter is blended.

6.Divide the mixture between the 6 prepared dishes.

7.Combination: Bake at 180⁰c for 10-15 minutes, the mixture should still be soft. Remove from the oven and place a piece of chocolate into each half-baked cake, push down into the middle.

8.Return to the oven and bake a further 10-15 minutes until a skewer inserted in the side comes out clean. Do not insert in the middle as you will expose the chocolate.

9.Allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate, remove paper round, and top with whipped cream and extra grated chocolate. Serve warm.