Chocolate Lava Cake

Chocolate lava cake is something I get almost every time we eat out - it's literally the essence of chocolatey goodness. Here's a recipe you can try out:

Ingredients (makes 6 servings):
1 1/2 bars (6 ounces) Bittersweet Baking Chocolate
2 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 egg yolks (in addition to the 2 eggs)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup cake flour

Directions:
To make centers, melt 2 ounces of chocolate (1/2 a baking bar) and cream in double boiler. Whisk gently to blend. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm. Form into 6 balls; refrigerate until needed.

To make cake, heat oven to 400°F. Spray six 4-ounce ramekins (small ceramic serving bowls) or custard cups with cooking spray. Melt 4 ounces of chocolate (1 baking bar) and butter in double boiler; whisk gently to blend. With an electric mixer, whisk eggs, yolks, sugar, and vanilla on high speed about 5 minutes or until thick and light (mixing a little extra here is okay). Fold melted chocolate mixture and flour into egg mixture until just combined (do not over mix this). Spoon cake batter into ramekins. Place a chocolate ball in the middle of each ramekin.

Bake for about 15 minutes or until cake is firm to the touch. Let it sit out of the oven for about 5 minutes. Run a small, sharp knife around inside of each ramekin, place a plate on top, invert and remove ramekin. Garnish with raspberries, ice cream or whipped cream (see picture for inspiration).

The Chocolate Chronicles
photocredit: thenibble.com

Chocolate Sculptures!

There are a number of things you can do with chocolate, but few have seen what can be sculpted from pure chocolate. Here are a few visuals - enjoy!

thecontaminated.com

www.justscrumptious.co.uk

p6.hostingprod.com

Made by Chef and Pastry Master Alain Roby. The sculpture is 6.4 meters tall and made it into the Guiness Book of World Records.

www.chinadaily.com.cn
Chocolate Festival in Portugal, 2006

lh6.ggpht.com
Chocolate Competition

The Chocolate Chronicles

Traditional Dark Chocolate Truffles

This is a wonderfully easy recipe for excellent homemade dark truffles; for something more milk-chocolatey (but still essentially dark chocolate) you can use Semisweet chocolate chips, or any chocolate chips with less cacao in them. The bittersweet ones tend to work the best with this recipe.

Granted, the truffle in the photo isn't as elegant as can be, but it's homemade and it's chocolate. What could be better?

(makes 30 truffles)
Ingredients:
2 cups 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
1/3 cup unsweetened Cocoa, for coating at the end (you can also use 3/4 cup chopped almonds or pecans)
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer; add the butter and stir until melted.
   
2. Add the chocolate chips. Stir until they're completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and pour into a shallow bowl.
3. Cool, cover, and refrigerate the mixture until firm (at least 2 hours).
4. Using a melon baller or small spoon, roll the mixture into 1-inch balls. Spread the cocoa (or nuts) in a thick layer on a plate, and roll the truffles through. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
   

DELICIOUS. Homemade truffles, brought to you much easier than you would have thought.

The Chocolate Chronicles
photocredit: teuscher-chocolate.com

Heaven & a heart attack on the same plate

Cupcakes from Sprinkles ("the original cupcake bakery") have probably set the record for the amount of blissful, tasty goodness that can be packed into a single serving of "cake." I've eaten at Sprinkles only a few times before because it's pretty far from where I live, but I absolutely love their cupcakes. The cake itself is moist and delicious, and the frosting is absolutely indescribable. Their wonderful frosting - thickly coated and really rich, is nevertheless the main contributor to the "heart attack" portion of my title. Though the nutrition facts of Sprinkles cupcakes aren't published (for good reasons), the frosting they put on is super saturated with sugar and, as a result, fat.

Don't be deterred, though; moderation is key when it comes to things like Sprinkles. They recently opened a store in the Stanford Shopping Center, which is the only one in the Bay Area - so it's not as if Sprinkles cupcakes will be tempting you around every corner. I'm no health expert, but I know a lot of people find it more rewarding to work out (especially if it's not part of your daily routine) and then eat something as heavenly as one of these little goodies.

If you haven't eaten Sprinkles before, be sure to try them out sometime. They're a small but rapidly growing chain of stores that sell freshly made cupcakes (and even little ones for your dog!). While they are a little pricey ($3.25 each or $36 for a dozen), it's good to reward yourself once in a while. With over 22 flavors and even boxes of mix you can take home and make yourself, there's sure to be something you like!

The Chocolate Chronicles
photocredit: sprinkles.com