Hello! Welcome to a new installment of Tuesdays with Dorie. Except it’s Wednesday. Yesterday turned out to have more errands than expected, so my post is a day late. But it was worth the wait! (Well, this dessert would be worth the wait anyway…)
The two February recipes from Baking Chez Moi are both chocolaty treats that my cutting-out-grains-and-most-carbs husband will eat. This one, Soft-Centered Chocolate Teacup Cakes, was served as the grand finale to our Valentine’s Day dinner. Quick confession: This dessert was not completely grain-free. The ingredients did include a tablespoon of cornstarch, but my has husband has OK’d ingredients like that, as long as they are used in small quantities.
Soft-Centered Chocolate Teacup Cakes are Dorie’s take on a chocolate lava cake. A simple chocolate batter is spooned into individual ramekins or teacups, with a secret chunk of milk chocolate placed in the middle. The cakes are baked until the bottoms and sides are set, but with the middle still soft and gooey. Serve the cakes warm, and enjoy the melty chocolate!
One thing that bothers me about this recipe is that the instructions require you make them from start to finish just before you are ready to serve them. After a nice dinner, the last thing I want to do is head to the kitchen to make dessert. I was wondering if these could be assembled earlier in the day, then baked when ready to serve. So I did an experiment. The night I served these, I sucked it up and made the cakes after dinner (even after my daughter went to bed). But I only baked two of them. I covered the other two and put them in the refrigerator overnight. The next day I baked the other two. It worked! But, the refrigerated cakes required quite a bit more baking time. In fact, the cake in these photographs wasn’t quite cooked enough. Conclusion: These cakes can be assembled ahead of time, but expect a longer baking time and considering bringing them to room temperature before baking.
These little cakes were wonderful! Perfectly-sized single portions that were rich and delicious. I will make these again for sure.
I had hoped to have the second chocolate recipe for the month done by now, but instead I will be making it this weekend to celebrate my husband’s birthday. Stay tuned!
From Scratch 
Your teacup cakes are so adorable!! And they look and sound luscious! A must try!
Great for Valentine’s Day!
I read a few people were wondering if they can be prepared ahead, good to know your findings!!!
I am glad that you and your husband enjoyed these. We thought they were delicious. Hope you both enjoy the panna cotta too.
thanks for sharing the results of your delicious experiment! i will make these again, too.
Good to know about the preparation timing. These were really good,
we both enjoyed them.
Glad to know these can be prepped ahead – I agree, after dinner, the last thing I want to do is make dessert 🙂
Wow- here I was focusing on how they could be made at the last minute like that was a good thing, because I was thinking about serving them only to family. You brought up such a fabulous point about the prepping before hand because not only do we not always want last minute, but with guests we REALLY don’t. And you solved the question too LOL !! Thanks so much and those photos look absolutely perfect. Like a textbook lava type cake. YUM. Glad your hubby could enjoy them too 🙂