Recipe Summary

Prep Time: 14 minutes
Cook Time: 21 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Servings: 8

Mini-Molten Chocolate Caramel Cakes are fluffy, chocolaty, warm, and gooey all rolled into one dessert. This soufflé-style dessert is a chocolate lover’s dream come true. It received our Test Kitchens�?highest rating.

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup butter
1 bar (8-oz) NESTLÉ CHOCOLATIER 62% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bar, chopped
4 large eggs, separated
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
Garnish: fresh raspberries

Directions

1. Cook 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup water in a heavy 3 1/2-qt saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high, and bring mixture to a boil without stirring. Using a pastry brush dipped in hot water, brush down any sugar crystals on sides of pan. Cook, without stirring, 10 minutes or just until syrup turns a deep amber color. Remove from heat, and carefully whisk in cream and butter until smooth. (Mixture will immediately start to boil and steam.) Remove and reserve 1 cup caramel sauce.
2. Melt bittersweet chocolate baking bar, uncovered, in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH for 30 seconds or just until chocolate begins to melt. (Chocolate may retain some of its original shape.) Stir until smooth. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted. Whisk in egg yolks; whisk mixture into caramel sauce in pan. Whisk in flour.
3. Beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Add 2 Tbsp sugar, and beat 2 to 3 minutes or until soft peaks form. Fold into chocolate mixture. Spoon mixture evenly into 8 lightly greased 6-oz ramekins or 6- to 8-oz oven-safe mugs.
4. Bake at 325° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Insert a serving spoon in center of each cake to create a hole; pour 1 to 2 Tbsp reserved caramel sauce into center and over tops. Serve immediately; garnish, if desired.

Caramel Sauce

Directions

1. Stir together sugar and water over medium heat. Keep stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to high, and wipe down sides of pan with pastry brush dipped in hot water, being careful not to dip the brush into hot sugar mixture.
2. Without stirring, allow mixture to turn an amber color. It will take several minutes for the clear mixture to begin changing colors, but keep a close eye on it once it starts to darken. It will change quickly from light tan to amber.
3. Remove from heat; carefully pour in cream, and add butter. The mixture will rapidly boil, hiss, and steam. The color will continue to darken until you add the cream, so work quickly.
4. Whisk until smooth. The mixture will thicken as it begins to cool. Leftover sauce can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, up to two weeks.