Chocolate Lava Cake

Some desserts are meant to impress—to arrive at the table trailing drama and expectation, to make people sit up a little straighter. Chocolate lava cake is unashamedly one of these. Cut into it with a spoon and molten chocolate spills out like a small, delicious catastrophe. It's the sort of thing that makes dinner guests murmur appreciatively and assume you're far more accomplished in the kitchen than you might actually be.

The magic here is mostly about timing. Underbake the cakes just slightly and you get that molten centre; overbake them and you have perfectly nice chocolate cakes, but not the theatrical ones you were aiming for. It sounds precarious, but it's more forgiving than you'd think, especially once you've made them a time or two.

This recipe makes two individual cakes, which feels appropriately indulgent. Serve them straight from the oven, dusted with cocoa and perhaps a dollop of cream, and watch them disappear in minutes. They're rich enough that a little goes a long way, but don't be surprised if someone quietly asks for seconds anyway.

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200°C. Generously butter two 175ml ramekins and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess. This prevents sticking and makes for an easier unmoulding.
Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks, and caster sugar until thick and pale—this should take about 2-3 minutes of vigorous whisking.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and fold gently to combine. Sift in the flour and fold again until just incorporated. Don't overmix; a few small lumps are fine.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared ramekins. At this point, you can refrigerate them for up to 24 hours if you're preparing ahead—just add 2 minutes to the baking time if baking from cold.
Place the ramekins on a baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes. The edges should be set and slightly pulling away from the ramekin, but the centre should still jiggle slightly when gently shaken. This is the key moment.
Remove from the oven and let stand for 1 minute. Run a thin knife around the edge of each cake, then carefully invert onto serving plates. Lift off the ramekins gently—the cakes should slide out. Dust with cocoa powder and serve immediately with cream or ice cream.

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