Red Velvet Molten Lava Cakes Recipe

Can we say Happy Accident, mon amis? Some things are destined, and in this case the Food Fairies guided my hand.

I wanted a molten lava cake based on the red velvet so beloved in my Southern homeland - but it just wasn't working out like I wanted. I couldn't really capture the light cocoa flavor and slightly rough texture of the real red velvet, while maintaining the gooey lovely inside.

I had finally had the idea that I was convinced was going to work, and I was happily melting white chocolate at my stove. I reached for the red food coloring to impart that screaming scarlet that must be there, when I realized I had instead put in about a tablespoon of orange extract.

After a few choice words that were not taught in my deportment classes, I realized that since I was that far through I might as well proceed to see if the structure of the dish was what I was after. And a miracle occurred!

Not only were the little cakes heavenly - perfect texture, that red velvet flavor, and a gooey middle - but the orange was actually a phenomenal accent. Think of an elevated orange Tootsie Roll - but far more elegant and subtle. You can certainly leave it out, but I'm taking this little gift with gratitude, and will use it from now on...

You'll need:

• 6 oz white baking chocolate
• 6 Tbl butter
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 Tbl orange extract
• 2 teaspoons red food coloring
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 pinch salt - I use table salt for this, only a touch, for the finer grain
• 1 Tbl butter - for the ramekins

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Butter liberally the inside of four small ramekins - 3/4 cup size or so.
2. In a double boiler or microwave, melt together the white chocolate and butter, whisking well to make sure they melt completely. Remove from heat. Whisk in the sugar and cocoa powder.
3. In a small mixing bowl beat the eggs. Add a little of the chocolate mixture to the eggs, whisking well. Repeat a couple more times. This 'tempers' the eggs - bringing them up to the temperature of the chocolate without scrambling them.
4. Mix the remainder of the chocolate into the eggs. Add orange extract and flour, whisking to combine completely.
5. Divide the mixture evenly into the four ramekins. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and immediately run a knife around the outer edge of each ramekin to help release the cakes. Invert immediately onto serving plates. If you like, put a little bit of whipped cream down first, and invert the cakes on top. The cream will melt with the heat of the cakes and be gorgeous.
7. Allow the ramekins to sit for about two minutes. Carefully lift the ramekins straight up and away from the cakes. Voila!