Ingredient: lemon juice & zest

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

Chocolate & strawberries not only add a touch of decadence but are the quintessential Valentine treat. These little chocolate lava cakes not only look and taste great, but they’re pretty quick and easy to make. You don’t need any special equipment, just a couple of bowls and a whisk and the recipe only makes two.

As always, I wondered about where the idea had originated. It seems the first known cake with a deliberately runny center is the ‘Tunnel of Fudge Cake’… the second place winner of a Pillsbury bake-off contest in 1966. Invented by Texan homemaker, Ella Helfrich, the cake is a walnut-flecked Bundt cake with a wet fudge center, which Ella achieved by the pretty ingenious inclusion of powdered frosting. The original recipe called for Pillsbury’s Double Dutch Dry Frosting Mix, which would, in the oven, cook into a runny, pudding like tunnel. The cake recipe became a cultural icon and put Bundt pans, (which had been created in the ’50s but were never particularly popular) in mass demand.

In 1987, a chef in New York city, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, was credited with ‘inventing’ the lava cake but this has been disputed as Jacques Torres, a French chef & chocolatier, says that the lava cake already existed in France before that time. As time has passed there have been many versions adapted to the original idea which mostly include the variations on the fillings. Instead of the chocolate fillings, other flavors like lemon, caramel, strawberry and orange can be found.

I think these White Chocolate Strawberry Lava Cakes will make the perfect ending for our Valentines supper.

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White Chocolate Strawberry Lava Cakes

Votes: 2
Rating: 5
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Course

Brunch, dessert

Keyword

white chocolate strawberry lava cakes

Servings

MetricUS Imperial

Ingredients

Strawberry Puree

• 250 gm fresh strawberries, cleaned & stemmed You may want to keep a few whole for dipping.
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp butter,
• 1 tsp pure vanilla

Cake

• 100 gm white chocolate
• 3 Tbsp butter,
• 2 eggs
• 1 egg white
• 6 Tbsp powdered sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 1/2 tsp EACH lemon juice & zest
• 6 Tbsp flour
• 3 Tbsp strawberry puree
• 2 drops red gel food coloring (optional)

Course Brunch, dessert Keyword white chocolate strawberry lava cakes Servings MetricUS Imperial Ingredients Strawberry Puree 250 gm fresh strawberries, cleaned & stemmed You may want to keep a few whole for dipping. 1 Tbsp sugar 1 Tbsp butter, 1 tsp pure vanilla Cake 100 gm white chocolate 3 Tbsp butter, 2 eggs 1 egg white 6 Tbsp powdered sugar pinch of salt 1 tsp pure vanilla 1/2 tsp EACH lemon juice & zest 6 Tbsp flour 3 Tbsp strawberry puree 2 drops red gel food coloring (optional)

Votes: 2 Rating: 5 You: Rate this recipe!

Instructions

Strawberry Puree

1. In a blender, process strawberries then press mixture through a fine mesh sieve over a bowl; discard seeds. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Pour in strained strawberry puree. Allow mixture to come to a boil & bubble until slightly thickened, about 6 minutes.

Cake

1. Melt white chocolate with butter. You can do it in the microwave with 30 second breaks or over a double boiler. Blend well.
2. Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter & flour 2 - 6 oz ramekins; set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, egg white, sugar, salt, vanilla, lemon juice & zest.
4. Add chocolate/butter mixture then flour; combine. Add strawberry puree & coloring (if using); blend.
5. Divide batter between the 2 ramekins & bake for about 15-20 minutes. Make sure not to OVERBAKE or you won't have the lava effect.

   
6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar & serve with any extra puree if you wish. For an extra treat, top with some dipped strawberries.