Individual Hot Chocolate Cakes

Total Time: 32 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 12 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 4 tablespoons sugar, divided
• additional butter, for preparing the cake molds
• additional sugar, for preparing the cake molds

Recipe

• 1 in a large bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and the butter together until smooth.
• 2 remove from heat and whisk in 2 tablespoons of sugar and the egg yolks.
• 3 butter six 6-ounce custard cups or ramekins to use as cake molds.
• 4 sprinkle the insides with sugar and tap out any excess.
• 5 adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees.
• 6 in a clean, dry bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on medium speed until they are frothy.
• 7 increase the speed and whip until the egg whites start to form soft, wet peaks.
• 8 whip in the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat just until the whites form shiny, droopy peaks.
• 9 fold one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold the remaining egg whites into the chocolate batter.
• 10 divide the batter into the prepared cake molds, set them on a baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes, until they feel just slightly baked in the center.
• 11 remove from oven and let stand for a moment before unmolding onto serving plates.
• 12 serve these with something simple, such as coffee ice cream or a flavored creme anglaise.