This is one of those desserts that I make just for me. My hubs does not enjoy chocolate or coffee much (I know, right?), so when I make this, I know I'll get to eat most of it myself. Which is both a reason to make it and a reason not to make it.
I'm not exactly wasting away to nothing up here in Duluth, MN. My clothing could provide shelter in the wilderness for at least one-fifth of the Donner party. But I have decided that I am not going to sit around obsessing about my lack of buffness. I am going to sit around the table with friends eating this chocolate pudding cake. Which really, is more fun than obsessing about my lack of buffness.
Yarnista's Chocolate {Mocha} Pudding Cake
These are individual servings of delectable chocolate cake with a soft, gooey center. I love it with the mocha and without, so make it to your preference.
1. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
2. Optional, if you want to make this a mocha cake. Omit this step if you want your chocolate straight up. Turn on tea kettle to heat water for French press coffee, or prepare a small quantity of coffee using your preferred method.
3. Spray four ramekins with cooking spray. You can also use one larger 9" round (or heart shaped, aww!) pan.
4. Optional, if you want to make this a mocha cake. Omit this step if you want your chocolate straight up. When water is hot, add coffee to French press and allow coffee to steep.
5. Chop 4oz of good bitter-sweet or semi-sweet chocolate. I made a double batch the other night, so you see the quantity doubled here. Good chocolate makes a difference.
6. Cut 1/2 cup of butter into eight or so pieces, and place the chocolate and butter into a microwave-proof bowl. (Again, these pics show a double recipe.) If you don't have a microwave, you can use a double boiler to melt the chocolate and butter together.
It does help a lot if you have a spare six year old to assist you.
7. Melt the chocolate in thirty second increments in the microwave, stirring after each increment.
8. Take 11 pictures that look like this, courtesy of the six year old.
9. In a mixing bowl, beat together until light and fluffy:
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup of sugar
2 tsp flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
10. To this fluffy mixture, slowly add the melted chocolate mixture, mixing all the while. You don't want to dump all the chocolate in at once, or you risk scrambling the eggs.
11. Optional, if you want to make this a mocha cake. Omit this step if you want your chocolate straight up. Once chocolate is well incorporated, pour yourself a cup of the coffee you've made, and add 2 tsp of coffee grounds to the chocolate mixture. Mix to incorporate.
This is absolutely delicious without the addition of coffee. It's your choice. I said that already. Oh.
12. Distribute batter equally into ramekins or pour into larger cake pan.
13. Bake for 6-8 minutes for individual ramkeins, and for 8-10 minutes for a larger cake pan. Center will be quite soft.
14. Allow to cool for 2-3 minutes.
Meanwhile, get out your ice cream.
You have several possible combinations here. In descending order of most mocha flavor to least mocha flavor:
-- Chocolate {Mocha} Pudding Cake with coffee ice cream
-- Chocolate {No Mocha} Pudding Cake with coffee ice cream
-- Chocolate {Mocha} Pudding Cake with vanilla ice cream
-- Chocolate {No Mocha} Pudding Cake with vanilla ice cream
15. I really like this cake served warm, so it makes the ice cream all melty and delish.
When the cake is warm, the center is gooey. As the cake cools, the center firms up slightly. I sprinkled a little kosher salt on top of my cake. I didn't like it.
So don't do that.
This is one of those desserts that people will think you slaved over, but that really, you can whip up in fifteen minutes with stuff you probably already have in your cupboard.
Let me know if you try them -- maybe for Valentine's Day? (Which is in a week!)