James Mcnair's Molten Chocolate Babycakes

Total Time: 37 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 17 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 12 ounces finest-quality bittersweet chocolate or 12 ounces finest-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup cake flour
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• powdered sugar (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 position oven racks so the cakes will bake in the middle of the oven; preheat oven to 400f.
• 2 grease and line six 6-ounce custard cups or souffle dishes.
• 3 here's how; using a pastry brush, lightly grease the bottom and sides of each pan with room-temperature solid shortening; place each pan on a sheet of parchment paper and trace around the bottom of the pan with a pencil, then cut out the traced shape with scissors; lay the parchment in the pan and use your hand to smooth out any wrinkles; if desired, lightly brush the paper with more solid shortening for easy removal of the paper after baking.
• 4 melt the chocolate and set aside to cool slightly.
• 5 in a bowl or food processor, combine the butter, granulated sugar, salt and eggs and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed or process until well blended; add the flour and blend well.
• 6 add the vanilla and cooled chocolate and blend until smooth.
• 7 divide the batter evenly among the prepared baking dishes and smooth the surfaces with a small rubber spatula.
• 8 place on a baking sheet, transfer to the oven, and bake until the tops are well puffed, about 17 minutes.
• 9 remove the baking dishes to a wire rack to cool for about 5 minutes, then run a thin knife blade around the sides of each cake and invert directly onto individual serving plates; peel off the parchment.
• 10 sift a little powdered sugar over the tops of the cakes.
• 11 james mcnair recommends serving by spooning custard sauce or creme anglaise around each cake, then add dollops of mango and raspberry purees and swirling with a wooden skewer; he also recommends using edible gold leaf as the garnish instead of powdered sugar.