Chocolate Lava Cake

1 . Stage

Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Use your hands to lightly grease the inside of four 6-ounce ramekins with butter.

2 . Stage

Melt the chocolate and butter: Fill a medium pot with about 2 inches of water. Set it over medium-high heat to bring the water to a gentle boil. Place a medium heat-proof bowl on top of the pot. The boiling water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. This is called a double boiler.  Add the chocolate chips and butter to the bowl and use a rubber spatula to mix until melted. Set it aside to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

3 . Stage

Combine the wet ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, eggs, egg yolks, vanilla, and salt. When the chocolate mixture feels cool to the touch, scrape it into the egg mixture. Stir to combine.

4 . Stage

Add the flour: Whisk in the flour until just combined. The batter will be thick, so you can switch to a rubber spatula if needed.

5 . Stage

Bake: Divide the batter evenly into the prepared ramekins and place the ramekins on a baking sheet. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, until the edges are firm and the centers are still soft. Carefully and gently poke the center of a lava cake with a finger. It should be jiggly, not fully set. If it is still liquidy (you’ll have wet batter on your finger), bake for an additional 1 to 2 minutes. 

6 . Stage

Serve: Let the lava cakes cool for 3 minutes before serving. To invert the lava cake: Cover a ramekin with an inverted dessert plate. Carefully flip the ramekin upside down and let it stand for a few seconds. Lift the ramekin to unmold the lava cake. Repeat with the remaining lava cakes while they are still warm.  I recommend that you eat your lava cakes warm, soon after they come out of the oven. The molten center will start to solidify as it cools.  The lava cakes can be served à la mode with vanilla ice cream, with a dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder, or with other toppings like fresh berries, chopped nuts, and caramel sauce.