Chocolate Lava Cake for Your Valentine

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 230°C (450°F). Grease ramekins or muffin tins with butter. Cut parchment paper into squares large enough to fit in pans. Crumple the squares of paper, then open them again; from there, they should fit your molds perfectly. Once the paper squares are in the pans, spray them quickly with cooking spray to make sure the lava cakes don’t stick.

Put the chocolate chips and butter in a large bowl, then heat in the microwave for about 15-20 seconds at a time, stirring each time. Do this until the chocolate melts (don’t just pop it in the microwave because if the chocolate gets too hot it won’t melt).

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, egg yolks and caster sugar in a large bowl. Beat for a good 6 to 7 minutes until the mixture becomes light, fluffy and tripled in volume. Add the chocolate and butter mixture in 3 to 4 additions, stirring each time. Once the batter is well mixed, add the cocoa powder and vanilla, then stir one last time.

Pour the batter into molds and fill about 3/4 full. If you make a mess on the edges of the moulds, clean them quickly with absorbent paper. If using ramekins, place them on a baking sheet first. Alternatively, put the cakes in the oven and bake for 8-9 minutes.

Once cooked, gently invert the ramekins onto a plate and peel off the paper. If you baked cakes in muffin tins, grasp the paper to gently lift the cakes, place them upside down on the plate, then again peel off the paper.

You can put a scoop of ice cream on it if you wish, then serve immediately hot.