Molten Chocolate Cakes!

Perfectly rich and chocolately for Valentine's Day!

So... I missed the part in the recipe where it stated to freeze the souffles for 2 hours before baking, and they collapsed in the last couple of minutes. But the good thing about fallen souffles is they still taste wonderful! These would serve as delicious cake cups for ice cream too.

 I buttered and sugared the ramekins so that the cakes would rise well.

Here's the chocolate all ready to be melted... mmm chocolate...

And the egg whites whipped to soft peaks...

Here are the fluffy egg whites being gently folded into the smooth chocolate mixture.

And they're ready for the oven.

And there it is! When they collapsed I decided to do a little disguising ;) I filled them with sweet vanilla bean cream and decorated with carmelized sugar. For the sugar garnish I melted sugar in a skillet, let it cool about a minute until it started forming threads when drawn out by a spoon. I then drizzled it over a greased pan where it quickly cooled. It couldn't be easier! Just be careful not to touch the hot sugar, it can hold a very high temperature!

Enjoy, and Happy Valentine's Day!

Molten Chocolate Mousse Cups- Sunset Magazine

Makes 12-

14 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I decided to use semi-sweet)

3/4 cup unsalted butter

6 large eggs, separated

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

1. In a medium pot, bring 1 in. water to a simmer. Put chocolate and butter in a medium metal bowl and set bowl over pot, being careful not to let bottom of bowl touch water. Heat until chocolate is almost completely melted; remove from heat, stir until smooth, and set aside.

2. With a mixer on medium speed, whisk egg whites and salt in a bowl until foamy. With mixer still on, slowly rain in sugar and whisk until soft peaks form.

3. Stir yolks into chocolate mixture until completely blended. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in whites. Spoon mixture into 12 small freezer and ovenproof coffee cups (4 oz. each, I used ramekins instead). Cover each cup with plastic wrap and freeze until ready to serve, at least 2 hours and up to 1 week.

4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set cakes on a baking pan and bake until puffed, cracked on the edges, and wet-looking in the center, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.