This recipe is enough to impress anyone. You simply cannot go wrong with melted chocolate and caramel. Go the extra mile by making your own salted caramel ice cream too - you won't regret it! Recipe below...
Ingredients:
Serves 4-6
Caramel Sauce:
500g caster sugar
475ml double cream (room temperature)
29g unsalted butter
4 tsp sea salt
Ice Cream:
6 egg yolks
15g cornflour
220 ml whole milk
500ml double cream
20g sugar
1 tsp sea salt
Chocolate lava cake:
(Serves 4)
150g dark chocolate (70%) (roughly chopped)
100g unsalted butter
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
60g caster sugar
40g plain flour (sifted)
4 tsp caramel sauce (1 for each cake)
Butter for coating inside of moulds
Cocoa powder for dusting
Method:
Caramel sauce:
1. In a large pan, heat the caster sugar over a medium heat and stir continuously. If this starts to crystallise, do not worry, this will go once the sugar has completely melted.
2. Once the sugar has completely melted, keep on the heat until it starts to turn a light golden brown colour. Remove from the heat.
3. Add the cream and vigorously whisk until combined. This will bubble and increase in size, however will settle down as you continue to whisk. Once smooth, add the butter and salt and mix until combined.
4. Pour into a separate container and allow to cool before using.
Ice cream:
1. Whisk together the 6 egg yolks and cornflour until smooth.
2. In a separate saucepan gently warm the milk, cream and sugar. As soon as the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is warmed through (not boiling), remove from the heat.
3. To temper the eggs, slowly pour a little bit of the warmed mixture into the bowl whilst continuously whisking. Once all of the milk/cream mixture has been combined, tip back into the saucepan.
4. Place back onto a medium heat and stir until thickened - the temperature should be around 75 degrees Celsius and the custard should coat the back of a spoon.
5. Remove the custard from the heat and strain into a clean bowl through a fine sieve. Add in half of the caramel sauce and mix.
6. Leave to cool for a few minutes before tipping the custard into an ice cream machine. Churn until set (timing depends on machine) and then freeze until ready to use.
7. If you do not have a machine, put the chilled custard into a baking tray and place into a freezer for 45 minutes, or until starting to freeze around the edges. Remove from the freezer and thoroughly mix the custard to break any ice crystals that may be forming. Return to the freezer. Repeat this process every 30 minutes for a total of 2-3 hours until completely frozen and smooth.
Chocolate lava cake:
1. Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melted over a shall pan of boiling water. Be careful not to let any water touch the bottom of the bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks and sugar until fluffy and pale - takes around 4-6 minutes to do so. The mixture should be thick enough to leave a trail on the surface when you lift out the whisk.
3. Gradually fold in the melted chocolate/butter.
4. Once combined, slowly sift in the flour and gradually fold in until combined.
5. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius.
6. Get 4 pudding mould and grease the each of the insides with butter. Then coat with a dusting of cocoa powder.
7. Fill up each mould halfway. Add a headed teaspoon of the cooled and thickened caramel sauce. Cover with more of the with the chocolate mixture until 1.5cm off the top of the mould (need to leave room for cake to rise).
8. Place onto a baking tray and cook for 10-12 minutes, depending on how cooked / liquid you would like it. I like to cook mine for 10 minutes to maximise the gooeyness inside.
9. Serve with the ice cream and any extra caramel sauce. Enjoy!