Simply Delicious Chocolate Caramel Finale!

Yumm! That’s what you will say when you taste this outstanding recipe that I found on the Martha Stewart website. I’ve made it a couple of times and it has always been a scrumptious finish to a meal. If you have any leftovers, this tastes like a giant chocolate truffle when it is cold out of the fridge. You can make the caramel sauce a day or two ahead if you’re entertaining.  Store it in a covered container in the fridge, but bring to room temperature to serve. You will have more caramel sauce than you need for this cake recipe, but it shouldn’t be a problem. You can believe me when I tell you that this is excellent, and I’m a bit of an expert with regards to caramel so take my word for it. The cake can be done early in the day and refrigerated and baked while you eat dinner. My photos show a double batch as there were 6 people for dinner. 2 desserts leftover. Drat! The sacrifices I’ll make for my friends…

Warm Chocolate Pudding Cakes with Caramel Sauce

6 tablespoons (3 oz.) cold unsalted butter, cubed, plus more, room temperature, for ramekins

1/3 cup sugar, plus more for ramekins

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

whipped cream for serving

Caramel Sauce (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter four 6-ounce ramekins, then coat lightly with sugar, tapping out excess. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and chocolate. Microwave until melted, about 1 minute; stir until smooth. (Or melt mixture in a heatproof bowl set over, not in, a pan of simmering water.)

In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, yolks, flour, and salt; add chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Fill each ramekin three-quarters full with batter; place on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate 15 minutes.

Bake until center of a cake is soft but not wet when pressed, 27 to 30 minutes. (Probably best slightly underdone.) Let cool 5 minutes. Serve cakes warm, topped with caramel and whipped cream.

Caramel Sauce

1 cup sugar

6 tablespoons (3 oz.) cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup heavy cream

In a medium saucepan, heat sugar over medium-high until melted and brown at edges, 3 minutes. With a heat-resistant spatula, pull melted sugar toward center until all sugar is melted and caramel is deep amber in color, 3 minutes more.

Immediately whisk in butter, coarse salt, and pure vanilla extract (take care as mixture is extremely hot and will bubble).

Whisk in heavy cream. Pour into a heatproof container and let cool.

Sorry there are no photos of the caramel sauce. I was probably too busy licking the spoon and dishes to think of taking a picture. If I was at home right now I’d whip up anther batch just to show you. Just as well that I don’t. I know there are loads of recipes for warm chocolate cakes, and perhaps I’ll try a few others – just for comparison basis of course. I’ll let you know when I think I’ve found the best.