Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes with Peanut Butter Sauce


When I think of Valentine's Day, I think of CHOCOLATE! Maybe that's because of all the chocolate-filled heart-shaped boxes every where you look this time of the year, or maybe it's because chocolate supposedly stimulates the release of endorphins in our brains, making us feel happy. Either way, I'm on board.



That is why these chocolate molten lava cakes are the perfect ending for your Valentine's Day plans. They literally ooze chocolate. I mean, what could be better than that? And the outer parts of the cake are so light and fluffy from the whipped eggs. So despite how rich this dessert is (i.e. make sure you have a glass of milk nearby), I have no problem gobbling up a whole cake by myself. Or, if you want to be extra romantic, just grab one cake and two spoons and dig in! 


This time around, I added some homemade peanut butter sauce to the cakes because my husband needs a side of peanut butter with his chocolate, but strawberry ice cream is also a great accompaniment to these little babies. 



(Please excuse the picture of cheese beneath the cake... Kinda forgot that was there!)

xoxoxoxox

Printable Recipe HERE.

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for coating 
1/4 cup sugar, plus more for coating
2 tablespoons Truvia (or other natural sugar substitute)
12 ounces good quality semisweet or dark chocolate chips
3 large eggs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
Peanut Butter Sauce (recipe follows) or strawberry ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425°. Butter 5 8-ounce ramekins and lightly coat them with sugar. Set the ramekins on a large rimmed baking sheet. 

In a large bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the stick of butter and chocolate until smooth, stirring a few times. Set the melted chocolate aside and keep warm; keep the saucepan of water simmering. 

In another large bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar and Truvia. Set the bowl over the simmering water and stir the eggs until warm. Remove the bowl from the heat. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs at high speed until doubled in volume, about 5 minutes. Sift the flour over the chocolate mixture and gently fold in with a rubber spatula. Working in 2 batches, fold in the warm egg mixture.
 
Spoon the batter into the ramekins.

Side note: I prepared the cakes well before dinner, but didn't cook them until when we were ready for dessert.  I only cooked 2, and kept the other 3 in the fridge and made them the next night! 

Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until the cakes are set around the edges and wobbly in the center. Remove the ramekins from the oven and let the chocolate cakes stand for 3 minutes.
 
Carefully invert the ramekins onto plates to un-mold the chocolate cakes. Top each cake with peanut butter sauce or a scoop of strawberry ice cream, and serve right away. 

Peanut Butter Sauce:
In a small saucepan, combine 1/3 cup natural smooth peanut butter and 
2/3 cup light Karo syrup over low heat, stirring until melted and combined.


Recipe adapted from Food&Wine