Emergency Molten Lava Cakes

Last Thursday we were having some friends over for dinner.  Because I knew I had a dinner to get on and a house to tidy before our company arrived, I went out extra early to do the weekly shopping.  Even though I got that early start and postponed a few of the stops until the next week, it still took a long time, longer than anticipated, and I was late getting back to the house.

There was no way I was going to pull off making a pie before dinner.

So as I tidied the house and got the rest of dinner ready, I was thinking about what I could quickly make for dessert, something that would look a little more special than cookies or brownies, but also be put together very quickly.  Molten Lava Cakes seemed to be the way to go.

Molten Lava Cakes

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup butter (I used coconut oil)

6 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

¼ cup flour

1 teaspoon additional chocolate chips per cake

 

Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a double boiler.  When the chocolate chips are completely melted and the mixture is perfectly smooth, stir in the sugar and vanilla extract.  Let cool a couple of minutes and then quickly whisk in the eggs and flour.  Pour batter into 4-6 well-greased ramekins (those with flared sides work best).  Add 1 teaspoon additional chocolate chips per cake to the center of the batter and press them down a bit so that you will have melted chocolate in the center of the cake.  Bake at 425°F for 13-14 minutes.  Cool 3 minutes and invert each one on a dessert plate.  (If you do not invert immediately, the cakes will continue cooking in the ramekins and the centers won’t be runny as a molten cake should be.)  Serves 4-6.

Family and guest reviews:  One guest abstained because she’s 82 and doesn’t even normally eat dinner, so she was stuffed before dessert even came along.  Tom, our other guest, Lydia, Aaron, and I scarfed the little lava cakes down.  I wanted another one, but, you know, people were still there, watching. 

Then it was time to demonstrate the spinning wheel and making yarn, the original reason behind having guests over for dinner.  Tom and his mother Penny really wanted to see the spinning wheel in action.  (Yeah, I don’t think they get out much.)  We had a nice visit, and just as they were getting ready to leave, we had some missionaries stop by unannounced.  My husband works closely with them, so even though we live out in Timbuktu, this is a common occurrence. 

And just like that, the two remaining molten lava cakes were gone.  The missionaries also said they were good.