Valentine Soft Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  
• (1/2 pound)
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  
• or 1-1/3 cups semisweet chocolate pieces
• 4 eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon teaspoon salt
• Whipped cream (optional)
• Raspberry Sauce (see recipe below) (optional)
  
• and/or fresh raspberries

Directions

1. Lightly butter eight 8-ounce ramekins or 1-cup
souffle dishes; line bottoms with parchment or wax
paper. Place the prepared ramekins on a shallow
baking pan or on a large cookie sheet. Set aside.

2. In a heavy-bottomed, medium saucepan, melt
butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring con-
stantly. Remove from heat; cool slightly. (Or, in a
mixing bowl, combine the butter and chocolate.
Place mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water
and melt butter and chocolate, stirring occasionally.
Remove bowl from the simmering water pot; set
aside to cool slightly.)

3. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and egg yolks
with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes
or until thick and lemon-colored. Mix a large dollop
of the beaten eggs into the butter-chocolate mixture.
Gently fold until combined. Add butter-chocolate
mixture to remaining beaten egg mixture and fold.
After a few folds, sprinkle in sugar, flour, vanilla,
and salt. Continue to fold until the mixture is com-
bined.

4. Quickly divide the batter evenly among prepared
ramekins. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 9 to 10 min-
utes or till cakes feel firm to the touch on top edges,
but still soft in the center when pressed with a fingertip.
Remove from oven; set ramekins on a wire rack. Let
cakes cool completely in ramekins.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When
cakes are cool, use a small metal spatula to loosen edge
of cakes from side of ramekin and unmold onto the
parchment-lined baking sheet. The centers of the cakes
are supposed to be soft. (If not using immediately, wrap
in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use.)

6. When ready to serve, place cakes on a microwaveable
serving plate. Heat in a microwave oven on 100 percent
power for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until warm. (Center of
cake will slightly pop up.) Serve with whipped cream
and garnish with a splash of Raspberry Sauce and/or
fresh raspberries, if you like.

Raspberry Sauce: In a blender container or food pro-
cessor bowl, cover and blend or process one 10-ounce
package frozen and thawed red raspberries in syrup
until pureed. Use a fine sieve to sieve berry mixture.
Cover and refrigerate the sauce till ready to use.
Makes 2/3 cup.