Molten Chocolate Cakes

Makes 2 individual cakes. Double recipe as necessary for more.

ingredients

1/4 cup (4 Tbsp./1/2 stick) unsalted butter (plus a bit more to butter the ramekins)
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (you can use semi-sweet if that's all you have on hand when the chocolate craving occurs. If you only have chocolate chips on hand, use about 1/3 of a cup)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 Tbsp. (1/8 cup) white sugar
1 teaspoons flour
(Cocoa powder, for dusting ramekins or use flour if you have no cocoa powder)

Method

If you're a patient person, you can melt together the butter and chocolate in the top of a double boiler, stirring until melted. If you're like me, you'll put the chocolate (chopped) and butter (cubed) in a microwavable bowl and melt it in the microwave. I like to start with 30 seconds, remove from microwave, stir thoroughly and repeat with 20 second intervals then stirring, until melted.

While the chocolate is heating, in a separate bowl, beat together the egg, yolk and sugar with a whisk or electric beater until light and thick.

Beat together the melted chocolate and butter; it should be quite warm. Pour in the egg mixture, then quickly beat in the flour, just until combined.

Butter and lightly dust with cocoa powder two four 4-ounce molds, custard cups, or ramekins (or if you don't have any of those, try a jumbo muffin tin). Tap out the excess cocoa powder. Divide the batter among the two molds. (At this point you can refrigerate the desserts until you are ready to eat, for up to several hours; bring them back to room temperature before baking or increase baking time if they are still cool-ish when put in the oven.)

Preheat the oven to 450° F. Bake the molds on a tray for 6 to 7 minutes; the centre will still be quite soft, but the sides will be set. (*Note, if using larger 6-oz ramekins, increase baking time to 9-10 minutes or so.)

Invert each mold onto a plate and let sit for about 10 seconds. Unmold by lifting up one corner of the mold; the cake will fall out onto the plate. Dust with icing sugar, if you like and/or top with whipped cream or ice cream. Serve immediately.

Adapted from this NYT Bitten article