Claire Saffitz's Molten Chocolate Olive Oil Cakes
The perfect Valentine's day recipe from the bestselling cookbook author of "What's For Dessert" and "Dessert Person"
I am going to let you in on what feels like a very big secret: Molten chocolate cake, that stalwart of dessert menus from chain restaurants to fine-dining establishments, is actually a two-bowl dessert, only a half-step up from brownies, that’s ready in under 45 minutes. This is a fairly standard version except for one ingredient: olive oil. Compared to butter, olive oil makes the batter slightly more fluid, enhancing the “molten” effect, and the flavor pairs especially well with chocolate. Keep a close eye on the cakes during baking, since they can overcook quickly and lose their molten centers. Serve them immediately for the most dramatic presentation.
—Claire Saffitz
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Ingredients
Makes 8 servings
Butter and flour for the molds
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil (5.9 ounces/168 grams)
9 ounces (255 grams) semisweet chocolate (64–70% cacao), chopped
6 large egg yolks (3.2 ounces/90 grams), at room temperature
3 large eggs (5.3 ounces/150 grams), at room temperature
½ cup sugar (3.5 ounces/100 grams)
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
Special equipment needed: Eight 4-ounce fluted metal brioche molds or ramekins, and a hand mixer
Catch Claire talking about this recipe on our baking pod!
Method
PREPARE THE MOLDS: Use a pastry brush to liberally brush the bottom and sides of eight 4-ounce fluted metal brioche molds or ramekins with room temperature butter, then dust the interiors with flour and shake to coat all over. Tap out any excess flour and set the molds aside.
PREHEAT THE OVEN: Arrange an oven rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.
MELT THE CHOCOLATE MIXTURE: Fill a medium saucepan with about 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. In a large heatproof bowl, combine the olive oil and chocolate and set over the saucepan, taking care that the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water (this is called a double boiler—for more information, see Setting Up a Double Boiler, page 341). Stir the chocolate mixture occasionally with a heatproof flexible spatula until it’s melted and completely smooth, then remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.
BEAT THE EGGS AND SUGAR: In a separate medium bowl, with a hand mixer, beat the egg yolks, whole eggs, sugar, and salt on medium-low speed until the eggs are broken up, then increase the speed to medium-high and continue to beat until the mixture is very pale, thick, mousse-y, and approximately doubled in volume, about 2 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and flour.
MAKE THE BATTER: Slowly pour the egg mixture into the melted chocolate mixture, beating constantly with the hand mixer on medium-low speed, until you have an evenly mixed batter. It will be thick but fluid.
FILL THE MOLDS AND BAKE: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared molds (they will be filled nearly to the top). Place the molds on a large sheet pan and bake until the surfaces of the cakes are puffed, matte (with just a touch of glossiness in the centers), and dry to the touch but still extremely soft when pressed in the centers, 6 to 8 minutes for metal molds and 7 to 9 minutes for ramekins. Remove the sheet pan from the oven immediately and set the cakes aside to rest for about 30 seconds.
UNMOLD THE CAKES AND SERVE: Working as quickly as possible (it’s helpful to have an extra set of hands for this), place a small serving plate upside down over a cake, then invert the cake and plate together and lift off the mold (careful, it’s hot!). Repeat with the remaining cakes and serve immediately with vanilla ice cream, if desired.
Can I . . . Make it ahead?
Just the batter. The cakes must be served immediately— immediately!—after they emerge from the oven, but you can prepare the batter and fill the molds ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate the filled molds for up to 24 hours, then let them sit out for several hours so they come to room temperature before baking.
Make it dairy-free?
Yes. The recipe is dairy-free except for the butter coating the molds. Instead, you can use a generous amount of oil-based, nonstick baking spray with flour, such as Baker’s Joy. Regular oil is not recommended, as it doesn’t coat the molds well and will lead to sticking.
Halve the recipe?
Yes. Halve all of the ingredient quantities and follow the recipe as written, but to halve the 3 whole eggs, combine 1 large egg with half of a whole egg that’s been thoroughly beaten and measured. Start checking the cakes for doneness after 5 minutes.
Use a stand mixer instead of a hand mixer?
Yes. Combine the yolks, whole eggs, sugar, and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and proceed with the recipe as written, noting that the eggs will whip faster than the time noted in the recipe.
Bake these in a muffin pan?
Yes. Baking the cakes in a standard 12-cup muffin pan will yield 9 slightly smaller cakes. Thoroughly butter and flour 9 muffin cups as directed in the recipe, then proceed as written, dividing the batter among the prepared cups and filling them nearly to the top. Bake the cakes for 5 to 6 minutes, checking for the doneness indicators given in the recipe, then let them rest for 1 minute. Turn the cakes out all at once by inverting the pan onto a cutting board, then transfer the cakes to plates and serve immediately.
From What’s For Dessert? by Claire Saffitz. Reprinted by permission of Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House.
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