Molten Chocolate Cake
July 23, 1998 posted by Julie Dreyfoos
by Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman
from Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef
(Broadway Books, 1998)
Makes 4 individual cakes
This ambrosial minicake is absolute chocolate in two forms: a warm, molten center surrounded by a tender, protective shell. Despite its intensity, however, it has nothing of the heaviness of Mississippi Mud Pie or the ubiquitous flourless chocolate cake. Perhaps that’s why it’s one of the most copied desserts in American restaurants.—Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Trivia: These cakes were supposedly created when Vongerichten was creating a new dessert recipe and pulled them out of the oven precipitately. When he cut into it one, instead of the dense crumb he expected, a center of molten chocolate oozed out, and a classic was born. — Linda Avery
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Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus more to butter the molds
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons flour, plus more for dusting
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Method
1. In the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, heat the butter and chocolate together until the chocolate is almost completely melted. While that’s heating, beat together the eggs, yolks, and sugar with a whisk or electric beater until light and thick.
2. 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.
3. Butter and lightly flour four 4-ounce molds, custard cups, or ramekins. Tap out the excess flour, then butter and flour them again. Divide the batter among the 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.)
4. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Bake the molds on a tray for 6 to 7 minutes; the center will still be quite soft, but the sides will be set.
5. 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. Serve immediately.
Recipe © 1998 Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Mark Bittman. All rights reserved.
© 2009 Leite’s Culinaria, Inc. All rights reserved. Terms of use.
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Wonderful recipe! It is so simple, yet so good.
I have added this to my list of crowd pleasers! Ne’er a complaint, only groans of pleasure. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
I’ve tried many similar recipes and this is my favorite. Simple to prepare, stunning to present.
Absolutely wonderful! Thanks much.
Hi. I want to ask why the cake that I made was very oily and there was no fudge at the center. It was just like a normal oily chocolate cake. i tried to decrease the baking time, but the same result occurred. Did I do something wrong? Please kindly advise.
Hi Vivien, Did you use 4-ounce molds? What brand chocolate did you use? While I’m waiting for your reply, I’ll ask Robyn Rice-Foster, one of our senior testers and a pastry and chocolate specialist. Stay tuned.
I believe the problem may have arisen because of the chocolate. A good-quality baking brand of chocolate must be used in making molten cakes. (Plus the correct mold size is important as well. ) The recipes states to use Valrhona. Some of the chocolate chips brands have extra oil added to them for longer shelf life.
Chocolate normally doesn’t have a long shelf life, and it can have two forms of bloom: fat bloom and sugar bloom. A fat bloom is the visible accumulation of large cocoa butter crystals on the chocolate’s surface; it usually has cracks and dulls its appearance. A sugar bloom is the crystallization of sugar, which is caused by high humidity. The product will start to sweat when brought into a warm area. Fat bloom will feel oily and melt when touched, whereas sugar bloom will feel grainy to the touch. Bloomed chocolate is fine to eat, but the results won’t be the same as fresh chocolate.
Will it work with oval shape 4-ounce ramekins or does it have to be the round ones? Because I only have the oval ones at home. Thank you.
Shinta, the oval ramekins will be fine as long as they’re not shallow like a brûlée dish.
I was wondering after beating the eggs, yolk, and sugar, what do you mean by light and thick? Is is suppose to be as foamy as when you beat egg whites?
Hi Ashley,
When you are making this recipe and begin beating eggs, yolk, and sugar, you will actually see the color of your mixture lighten as it is aerated. It’s unfortunate that no specific time is given to guide you but my guess is 2-3 minutes of beating. The mixture will be pale yellow but not “foamy” due to the yolks. Hope that helps.
I made this recipe on Sat. I borrowed the molds (4-ounce, 12-flutes, brioche tins) from a French friend. The recipe worked beautifully even at our high altitude in Colorado. My problem is that I can’t seem to find 4 oz tins to buy for myself. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Dede
Hi Dede. Take a look at this set on Amazon. They seem perfect to me. So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Linda
Linda,
Thanks for your reply and link to Amazon. When I made the individual cakes this past weekend, I used 4-ounce molds as the recipe calls for. I have looked on the web and can’t find any 4 oz sized molds. The ones you suggested are 3 ounces. Would these work as well? Also, the ones I used aren’t non stick. I just sprayed them with PAM and brushed it into the fluted areas before pouring in the batter. Does your baking team use non stick?
Dede
Hi again, Dede,
I think I found exactly what you are looking for on the Fantes website. These are 4 ounce heavy tinned steel molds and made in France.
Linda
Thanks, Linda. I called this company and was able to talk with someone who held and measured these molds for me. I ordered 16 of them to use for myself and for a birthday gift (with above recipe) for my daughter. Thanks for your prompt replies and good research.
I need 16 of these…seems like it could be dangerous to quadruple the recipe… What adjustments should I make? Thanks!
Amy, unless a recipe has weights, which few do, I never more than double it. So to be on the safe side, have the ingredients read for all 16 desserts, then double the recipe, making two batches of eight. You can pour the batter from the first batch into half the prepared ramekins and hold them while you make the second batch.
THANK YOU! How far in advance can I do this? I read somewhere that it can be done far in advance and put in the fridge and then brought to room temp for baking – that would be ideal since I’m doing them for a b’day party…
In the recipe you’ll see it says you can refrigerate it up to several hours. (I’d say maximum three.) And make sure it comes to room temperature before baking. Very important. Write back and tell us how it goes.