Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate Lava Cakes

Soft chocolate cake on the outside, warm molten chocolate in the middle, and exactly the kind of dessert that looks far more complicated than it actually is.

If there is one dessert that knows how to make an entrance, it is a chocolate lava cake.

Cut into the centre and a warm, glossy chocolate filling slowly spills onto the plate.

Now add Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate to the mixture and things become even more interesting.

These individual Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate Lava Cakes are rich, indulgent and perfect for dinner parties, date nights, birthdays or any occasion that deserves a little chocolate drama.

Ingredients

• 150 g milk or dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 100 g butter
• 2 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate powder
• ¼ cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• Pinch of salt

For Preparing the Ramekins

• Butter
• Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate powder or cocoa powder for dusting

For Serving

• Vanilla ice cream
• Fresh strawberries or raspberries
• Chocolate shavings
• Whipped cream
• A light dusting of Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate powder

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C.

2. Generously butter four small ovenproof ramekins.

3. Add a little Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate powder to each ramekin and turn it around until the inside is lightly coated.

This helps the cakes release more easily once baked.

4. Place the chopped chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl.

5. Melt gently in the microwave in short bursts, stirring between each one, until completely smooth.

Set aside to cool slightly.

6. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks and brown sugar until smooth and slightly thickened.

7. Add the vanilla essence and salt.

8. Slowly pour in the melted chocolate mixture while whisking gently.

9. Add the Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate powder and cake flour.

10. Fold everything together until just combined.

Do not overmix.

11. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared ramekins.

The Important Part: Do Not Overbake Them

Bake for approximately 10–12 minutes.

The edges should look set, but the centres should still appear slightly soft.

This is what creates the molten centre.

If you bake them until the middle is completely firm, you will still have a lovely chocolate cake.

You just will not have the dramatic chocolate lava situation we are aiming for.

How to Serve

Allow the cakes to rest for approximately 1 minute after removing them from the oven.

Carefully run a knife around the edge of each ramekin.

Place a serving plate upside down over the ramekin, then carefully flip it over.

Lift the ramekin away.

Then comes the best part.

Cut into the centre.

If everything has gone according to plan, warm chocolate should slowly flow from the middle.

Add Vanilla Ice Cream

A warm chocolate lava cake already has plenty going for it.

But adding a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream on top takes it to another level entirely.

The ice cream slowly melts into the warm chocolate centre and creates exactly the sort of dessert situation we were hoping for.

Make the Centre Even More Chocolatey

Want to increase your chances of an extra-gooey centre?

Push one small block of chocolate into the middle of each ramekin before baking.

Cover it gently with the batter.

As the cake bakes, the chocolate melts into the centre.

Insurance, but for chocolate.

Rescue Roast® Mocha Lava Cakes

For a subtle coffee twist, add approximately 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder to the melted chocolate mixture.

Or add a small spoonful of very strong Rescue Roast® coffee.

The coffee deepens the chocolate flavour and creates a beautifully rich mocha version.

Serve with a freshly brewed Rescue Roast® coffee and dessert is officially sorted.

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Lava Cakes

For another variation, add a small teaspoon of peanut butter to the centre of each ramekin before baking.

As the cake cooks, the peanut butter becomes soft and creamy inside the molten chocolate centre.

Chocolate.

Peanut butter.

Warm cake.

There really is not much more to discuss.

Perfect for Dinner Parties

One of the best things about this recipe is that you can prepare the ramekins ahead of time.

Fill them with the batter, cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake.

Then simply place them into the oven shortly before dessert.

This means you get to serve something that looks extremely impressive without disappearing into the kitchen for half the evening.

250 g or 500 g?

Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate is available in both 250 g and 500 g bags.

The 250 g bag is perfect for enjoying in your favourite mug and experimenting with a few Rescue Roast® Academy recipes.

But if your Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate is regularly becoming fudge, truffles, puddings, cakes, milkshakes and now molten lava cakes...

The 500 g bag is starting to look like the sensible option.

Chocolate With a Little Drama

Warm cake on the outside.

Molten chocolate hiding in the middle.

Vanilla ice cream slowly melting over the top.

Some desserts simply know how to make an entrance.

And Rescue Roast® Hot Chocolate Lava Cakes definitely qualify.