Sunday, December 19, 2010

Chocolate molten cake

Update on Joanne Chang's Molten Chocolate Cake recipe for the poor grad student...In all fairness, she does say to use 62% to 70% cacao... I ended up just using the ghiradelli chocolate chips because they're substantially cheaper.  I also don't own a stand mixer.  

Adding in 1/4 cup of ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa powder definitely helped bring out the chocolate flavor substantially. It also helped with the texture. Still, if one is left to supermarket quality chocolate and does not have a stand mixer, I like my molten cake recipe more...


However, to be fair, here is the cliff notes version of her original recipe--it may come out substantially better if one can buy the high quality chocolate and use an electric mixer instead of doing it by hand.


10 oz bittersweet chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter, melted
8 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 t kosher salt
1 t vanilla extract



  • Position rack in center of the oven, and heat until 400 degrees F.  Butter ramekins, pour sugar into them to coat them, then turn sugar out into the next ramekin, etc.
  • Melt chocolate
  • Whisk in butter until well mixed
  • Use a stand mixer fitted with whip attachment and beat eggs on low speed to break them up.  Turn up speed to medium and slowly add 3/4 cup sugar.  After incorporated, beat for 6-8 minutes until mixture is thick and pale. Add salt and vanilla, and beat to incorporate.
  • Pour chocolate butter mixture into eggs and beat for 1 minute or until combined.
  • Remove from mixer stand and whisk vigorously by hand to make sure all of chocolate is incorporated.  Mixture will deflate but should still be frothy.
  • Divide batter among mugs, filling them to within at least 1 inch of rim. 
  • Mugs/ramekins can be covered tightly and refrigerated up to one day.
  • Bake 20-26 minutes (on shorter side if batter is fresh).
  • Edges should be firm but if you poke your finger into the center, it should be gooey.  Gooey center should be less than or equal to the size of a quarter.
  • Let cakes set for 3-4 minutes.
  • Run knife around edge of mug to loosen.
  • Invert.


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