Individual Chocolate Cakes Recipes

INDIVIDUAL CHOCOLATE CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Butter four 4-ounce ramekins and lightly dust the inside of each ramekin with cocoa powder, tilting to coat; tap out any excess and set aside.
• Heat butter and chocolate in heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water until chocolate is almost completely melted.
• Meanwhile, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until light and thick.
• Slowly add butter mixture to mixer; add flour and mix until well combined. Divide batter between prepared ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake until sides are set and center is soft, 7 to 10 minutes.
• Invert each mold onto a plate and let stand for about 10 seconds. Gently tap the tops of molds and carefully lift to remove. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, if desired; serve immediately.

MINI CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the cake: Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a 6-inch round cake pan with 2-inch sides with oil then line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside. Whisk together the egg, sugar, oil, sour cream, coffee and vanilla in a small bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake starts to pull away from the sides, 29 to 32 minutes. If you under bake the cake, it will slightly sink, so check it!
• Remove the cake from the pan by carefully running a paring knife along the edge to loosen, then tilting it into one hand and peeling off the parchment from the bottom; place it on a small cake stand.
• For the ganache: Combine the chocolate, cream and corn syrup if using, in a double boiler or a heat-proof bowl fitted over a small saucepan of simmering water. Stir over medium heat until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. (Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and cream in the microwave on low in 25-second intervals, stirring between each.)
• Pour the ganache over the cake, and garnish with the pomegranate arils.

INDIVIDUAL CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKES

Steps:

• TRUFFLES: Combine the chocolate, cream, and butter in a small heatproof bowl, set over simmering water, and let melt.
• When almost melted, remove from the heat and stir the mixture until smooth. Stir in flavoring of your choice and refrigerate until thick enough to mound on a spoon, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Line a baking tray with waxed or parchment paper. Scrape the chocolate mixture into pastry bag fitted with a #3 plain tip. Pipe eight 1-inch mounds onto the prepared tray.
• Place 1 raspberry in center of each chocolate mound and pipe a little more of the chocolate mixture to enclose completely. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
• CAKE: Position a rack in the center of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8 oversize muffin cups with cooking spray. Line bottoms with rounds of waxed paper. Set aside.
• In the top of a double boiler or a small heatproof bowl set over simmering water, melt together the chocolate and butter. Cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, in the large bowl beat on high speed, eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.
• On low speed, add in the chocolate mixture just until combined. Remove the bowl and fold in the flour, using a rubber spatula.
• Spoon a little of the batter into each of the prepared cups top with 1 truffle, and cover with the remaining batter.
• Arrange cups on a baking tray and bake 15 minutes or until edges of the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the cups. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Invert onto individual dessert plates and carefully peel off paper. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream next to each cake and a few fresh raspberries.

INDIVIDUAL MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Butter and flour six 6-ounce custard cups.
• Place 5 1/2 ounces of the chocolate and the butter in a metal bowl, and set it over a pan of simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Cool slightly.
• Using a standard electric mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, yolks and sugar at medium-high speed until they are pale and thick, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce the speed, and gradually mix in the flour.
• Add the chocolate mixture to the flour mixture, and continue to beat until thick and glossy, about 5 minutes.
• Divide half of the mixture among the prepared custard cups. Divide the remaining 2 ounces of coarsely chopped chocolate among them, placing the chunks in the very center of the chocolate mixture (there should be about 1 tablespoon of chopped chocolate per custard cup). Then top with the rest of the chocolate batter.
• Bake until the cake is set around the edges but the center jiggles slightly when the cup is moved, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly (no more than 5 minutes).
• Run a sharp knife around the edges of the cups. Turn the cakes out onto plates, and serve.

MINI CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter in a bowl until evenly combined and mixture resembles coarse sand. Divide mixture evenly and sprinkle into the bottom of the prepared muffin cups; use the bottom of a cup to press crumbs firmly into a crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove crusts to a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
• While the crusts are cooling, combine cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa powder in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Whip on medium to high speed, scraping down the sides and bottom as needed, until smooth and evenly combined. Blend in sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition until mixture is smooth and even and scraping the sides as necessary. Divide filling evenly between the crusts.
• Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven off, and leave cheesecakes in the oven without opening the door for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.

INDIVIDUAL CHOCOLATE CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush six 4-ounce ramekins with the melted butter. Sprinkle the inside of each ramekin with sugar and tap out the excess. Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate until needed.
• In the top of a double boiler or a stainless-steel mixing bowl set over a pan of simmering water so that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water, place 6 tablespoons of butter and the chocolate. Heat until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a large mixing bowl, place 2 tablespoons of sugar and the egg yolks. Whisk until thoroughly blended. Add the chocolate mixture to the egg yolks and stir until well blended.
• In the work bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they are frothy. Increase the speed gradually and beat until soft peaks form when the whisk is lifted out of the bowl. Sprinkle over the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat until the meringue is shiny and forms stiff peaks.
• Fold about 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and then gently fold the remaining egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Do not overmix; it is fine if there are a few streaks of egg white in the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared ramekins. Bake until the cakes rise and then crack on top, and are gooey inside, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Let cool slightly, then unmold onto individual plates. Garnish with mint and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.