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Chocolate Peanut Butter Lava Cakes
YIELD: 4 cakes
PREP TIME: 30 minutes
BAKE TIME: 15 minutes
MEAL: dessert
DIFFICULTY: easy
Filling:
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 tablespoon salted butter, room temperature
Cake:
1/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Dutch-process cocoa
1/2 cup salted butter
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
chocolate sauce, for topping
powdered sugar, for topping
Stir the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and butter together until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425. Butter four 6-ounce ramekins. Stir together a few spoonfuls of flour and cocoa powder. Dust the ramekins; tap out the excess.
Divide the chilled peanut butter filling evenly into four portions, and return to the refrigerator.
Whisk the flour and cocoa together. Set aside. Melt the chocolate and butter over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
Beat the eggs with the sugar until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir the vanilla and espresso powder together. Add to the egg mixture along with the melted chocolate until thoroughly combined. Fold in the flour/cocoa mixture.
Fill the ramekins with 2/3rds of the batter. Place a peanut butter dollop on top of the batter. Spoon the remaining batter over the peanut butter.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest on a cooling rack for 5 minutes. Run a knife along the edge of the ramekins. Invert a dessert plate on top and flip the plate over. Remove the ramekin.
Serve the cakes warm with chocolate sauce and sifted powdered sugar.
Cakes may be made ahead and refrigerated. Reheat in the microwave for 30 seconds. The cakes may not come out of the ramekins as cleanly as freshly-baked.
