Cognac Chocolate Raspberry Lava Cakes

I was too busy eating these lava cakes on Valentine’s Day and forgot to blog them.  Chocolate lava cakes, while so luscious and rich, are deceptively simple.  The “lava” is really just uncooked batter, pooling in the center.  I could kick myself for not blogging these earlier because lava cakes are also a perfect date recipe — if you’re cooking a dinner at home, the batter can be made earlier in the day and spooned into a muffin pan.  At just eight minutes cooking time, you can pop these in the oven while clearing the dishes from dinner, and voila! amazing rich delicious hot chocolate cakes.  While lots of lava cake recipes generally suggest serving it with a raspberry sauce, I took a twist on that and decided to just stick a couple of whole raspberries in the center of each cake.  Feel free to omit if you just want the oozy chocolate.  I also added cognac to my batter to give it a warm kick — raspberries, chocolate and cognac are my idea of a perfect combination.  You can serve it with some fresh whipped cream, or even ice cream.  (Mr. Kitchen will put ice cream on just about anything.)

Cognac Chocolate Raspberry Lava Cakes

Cognac Raspberry Chocolate Lava Cakes

Adapted from a Paula Deen Recipe

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

4 ounces semisweet chocolate

10 tablespoons (1 1/4 stick) butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 large eggs
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Cognac

1/2 cup raspberries, rinsed (optional)

Butter a medium sized muffin pan and preheat the oven to 425°.

In a double boiler, melt the butter and add chocolate.  (For a makeshift double boiler, put a heatproof bowl in a simmering pot of water — it’s better to have the bowl touching the water than the bowl touching the sides of the pot.) As the chocolate begins to melt, remove the bowl from the water.  Continue mixing the chocolate and butter until perfectly smooth and fully incorporated.  Add the cognac and vanilla and mix together.  In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and egg yolks, and then add the sugar.  Mix into the chocolate.  Stir in the flour until smooth.

If you’re using the raspberries, spoon a tablespoon of the batter into each muffin space in the pan (assuming 12).  Put two whole raspberries into each muffin space, taking care to keep the raspberries in the center.  Spoon remaining mixture into each space.  Bake for 8-10 minutes on the center rack of the oven.  Cakes are done when the sides are set and the top is no longer runny.  Top with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, fresh whipped cream, ice cream or nothing at all!

OMG Chocolate

Isolating yolks for the Cognac Chocolate Raspberry Lava Cakes

Mixing in the flour for the Cognac Chocolate Raspberry Lava Cakes

Pouring the batter for the Cognac Chocolate Raspberry Lava Cakes

Cognac Chocolate Raspberry Lava Cakes

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The Morning After

Ah the sleepover.  Nothing could be more blissful than a couple’s first weekend together…. Many a girl has swooned over thoughts of coffee and the crossword, tucked in bed with her new beloved, eating something fabulous (and undoubtedly fattening).  We have every Jennifer Anniston movie to thank for that.  Hell even Julia Roberts got a big fantastic breakfast the morning after in Pretty Woman.   Not that every morning after is pretty.  I seem to recall Mr. Kitchen and I being pretty hungover.  No matter, I’ve got an easy no-fail awesome Challah bread french toast recipe for you.  I told you that leftover Challah bread from the You’re Gonna Remember Me Brown Bettys would come in handy.  Wanna make sure he keeps coming back for breakfast?  Who could resist this?

Challah Bread French Toast with Strawberries and Blueberries

Challah Bread French Toast

(Makes 6 slices)

1/2 loaf Challah loaf bread

2 eggs

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp vanilla extract

Strawberries, stemmed and sliced

Blueberries

Butter (for frying)

Confectioner’s sugar  (for dusting)

Slice Challah bread loaf into six slices (1/4 inch slices.  In a bowl, beat eggs, heavy cream, vanilla, cinnamon and brown sugar well.  Heat pan over medium heat.  Melt a pat of butter in pan.  Dip a slice of the Challah in the egg batter on each side.  Put into pan, browning on each side for approximately 2 minutes.  Note:  I’ve found it’s best to cover the pan with a tight fitting lid, which will keep in the moisture and reduce the chance of burning.  Repeat with each slice of Challah.  Garnish with strawberries, blueberries and confectioner’s sugar.

Challah Bread French Toast with Strawberries and Blueberries