Recipe: Saucy Center Chocolate Cakes

SAUCY CENTER CHOCOLATE CAKES

"Served warm, these rich, souffle-like cakes are meant to have a soft, creamy center that will ooze out when you cut into the center."

1/2 cup butter
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, cut up
4 eggs
2 tablespoons hazelnut coffee drink syrup*
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Pillsbury BEST All Purpose flour
Powdered sugar (for garnish)

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously grease and lightly flour six (6-ounce) custard cups.

In medium saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside.

In medium bowl, combine eggs and syrup; beat at high speed until foamy. Gradually beat in sugar; continue beating at high speed until light and thickened. Add flour and chocolate mixture; beat at low speed just until blended. Fill each greased and floured cup about 3/4 full. Place custard cups on cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 11 to 15 minutes or until cakes are puffed and crusted, but still soft in center. Cool 5 minutes.

Invert cakes onto individual dessert plates. Sift powdered sugar over cakes. Serve warm.

*Coffee drink syrups (like Torani) can be found in the coffee section at your supermarket.

KITCHEN TIP:
Oven temperature and baking time are critical in this recipe. Since ovens vary, try a practice run before you make these for company and record the exact baking time. If the center of the dessert is cake-like in texture, bake for several minutes less next time. If the entire cake is saucy, bake it a minute or two longer.

MAKE-AHEAD TIP:
These cakes can be assembled, covered and refrigerated up to two hours before you bake them. You may need to add a few minutes of baking time.

Servings: 6
Source: Pillsbury Home for the Holidays, November 1999