Quick & Easy Chocolate Lava Cakes

Typically for me I like to know what I’m making for dinner first thing in the morning. This gives me the day to plan and prepare everything ahead of time so I’m not rushing around an hour before serving trying to get everything done.

In a perfect world, this would be the case 90% of the time. As it is, in my not-so-perfect world, I’m lucky if I know what I’m making by noon, and sometimes not until I set foot in the kitchen panicking because I’ve got less than an hour to get something hot and hearty on the table.

Because of this, dessert is usually the last thing on my mind until everyone has cleaned their plates and all eyes fixate on me in anticipation of something sweet. Sure there’s always ice cream or probably some cookies stored on the shelf in the pantry, but as for something homemade and wonderful, that’s something I’m lucky to accomplish once a week.

When I found a recipe for a chocolate lava cake that could be prepared in 10 minutes and bake while we’re eating dinner, I knew immediately this would be a keeper. I mean really, who doesn’t have 10 minutes before dinner to throw a few ingredients together and pour them into individual bowls for something chocolatey, hot, and utterly wonderful? I know even on the busiest of days, I can manage to find 10 minutes.

Quick and Easy Chocolate Lava Cakes

• 1/2 Cup Butter (1 stick)
• 2 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate
• 2 ounces Semisweet Chocolate
• 1 1/4 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• 3 Egg Yolks
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• Baking Spray for custard cups
• Vanilla Ice Cream

Preheat oven to 425. Spray 4 custard cups with baking spray and place on a baking sheet.

Microwave butter and chocolates in a large bowl on high until the butter is melted, approximately 1 minute. Whisk the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted.

Add sugar to chocolate mixture and stir until blended. Whisk in eggs and yolks and then vanilla. Stir in flour.

Divide mixture between custard cups and bake for 13 minutes, until sides are firm and the centers are soft. Remove from oven and let stand one minute.

Invert cups on individual plates while warm and serve with vanilla ice cream.

I made these after a week of being down from an awful gall bladder attack and the family couldn’t say enough about them. Now, granted they might have just been itching for something homemade and sweet, but seeing as they have already asked me to make them again and it’s only been a few days since I first made them, I’d have to say these are definitely a keeper.

Anytime I can make something from scratch for a special treat in just minutes for the family, I’m thrilled, and for this I am — Simply Grateful.

Quick & Easy Chocolate Lava Cake

• Servings: 4 Custard Cups
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Ingredients

• 1/2 Cup Butter (1 stick)
• 2 ounces Bittersweet Chocolate
• 2 ounces Semisweet Chocolate
• 1 1/4 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• 3 Egg Yolks
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• Baking Spray for custard cups
• Vanilla Ice Cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425. Spray 4 custard cups with baking spray and place on a baking sheet.
2. Microwave butter and chocolates in a large bowl on high until the butter is melted, approximately 1 minute. Whisk the mixture until the chocolate is completely melted.
3. Add sugar to chocolate mixture and stir until blended. Whisk in eggs and yolks and then vanilla. Stir in flour.
4. Divide mixture between custard cups and bake for 13 minutes, until sides are firm and the centers are soft. Remove from oven and let stand one minute.
5. Invert cups on individual plates while warm and serve with vanilla ice cream.

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Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts

Christmas is over, but I am still working on recipes and treats that I had on my Christmas Baking and Candy To Do List.

These very easy chocolate covered nuts are Grace’s favorite. We used to buy boxes of them at SAM’s Club every holiday season, but haven’t found them in the past couple of years. This forced my hand so I bought macadamia nuts and chocolate and made my own. Score! They not only taste better than the store bought ones, but they are far cheaper to make than buy by the box.

Typically I like to mix an assortment of chocolates when making any sort of molded or covered chocolate candies, but this time I opted for the down and dirty store-bought kind. If you have more time it’s always fun to mix dark, bittersweet, semi-sweet, and milk chocolates until you find a flavor that suits you. When in a pinch though, this Almond Bark I found at Aldi works perfectly.

Chocolate Covered Macadamia Nuts

7 oz. Raw or Salted Macadamia Nuts

1/2 Package  (12 oz.) Almond Bark Chocolate

Melt chocolate slowly in the microwave. Place chocolate in bowl and microwave at 45 second intervals until completely melted.

Add the nuts and mix until completely covered.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.

Place sheet in freezer until firm.

No one seemed to notice that I didn’t use my regular combination of chocolates on these little gems. Grace didn’t complain, Hubby has eaten far more than his share, and being that there isn’t any dark chocolate mixed in with the milk chocolate, I won’t eat them — so it’s all good, and for this I am — Simply Grateful.

• Servings: Approximately 30 pieces
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Ingredients

• 7 oz. Raw or Salted Macadamia Nuts
• 1/2 Package (12 oz.) Almond Bark Chocolate

Directions

1. Melt chocolate slowly in the microwave. Place chocolate in bowl and microwave at 45 second intervals until completely melted.
2. Add the nuts and mix until completely covered.
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a parchment lined cookie tray.
4. Place tray in freezer until firm.

Strawberry Truffle Cake

I don’t know about you, but whenever we have someone over for dinner, my first thoughts go to what I’m going to serve for dessert. Of course if I am planning a themed dinner, the dessert might have to be changed or decided on a little later in the planning process, but dessert is by far the one aspect of any dinner that I believe must hold the “WOW” factor.

Don’t think for one minute however that every time someone crosses our threshold to break bread with us that I serve something they’ll be talking about for weeks to come. No, it is probably more of a rarity for that to happen than the norm. When I can accomplish the “WOW” factor however and really give our guests something to rave about, it’s as if the stars have all aligned and everything is right with the world.

A bit dramatic for sure, but after all the canning and harvesting I’ve been inundated with the past couple of weeks, breaking the monotony with an absolutely awesome dessert for a change really helped rejuvenate my spirits.

We had my parents over for dinner a few nights ago. Nothing special, just stuffed burgers on the grill, homemade onion rings, fresh vegetables from the garden, and some sweet Michigan corn. Seeing as the dinner was just a typical “barbecue” I thought I would spice up the evening a bit with a little cake – a strawberry truffle cake.

Strawberry Truffle Cake

Cake

• 1 Box Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix, prepared according to package directions
• 2 Cups Cut-up Fresh Strawberries

Ganache

• 2 packages Semi-sweet Baking Chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 1/3 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1/4 Cup Butter

Garnish

• Fresh Strawberries, cut in half lengthwise
• 1/4 Cup White Vanilla baking Chips
• 1/2 tsp. Vegetable Oil

Prepare cake according to package directions in a 13 x 9 inch pan and allow to cool completely. I made the cake the night before.

In a large bowl, place chopped chocolate, set aside.

In 2-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream and butter over medium heat until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil.

Pour cream over chocolate.

Stir until chocolate is dissolved.

Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with a circle of waxed paper.

Cut cake into 1-inch cubes.

In large bowl, beat half of the cake cubes on low speed until crumbly.

Add remaining cake cubes and 13/4 cups of ganache (reserve remaining). Beat on low speed until well combined, about 30 seconds. The mixture should look like fudge.

Fold in 2 cups cut-up strawberries.

Spoon mixture into springform pan and press down to flatten; smooth top.

Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 45 minutes or firm enough to unmold.

Run knife around side of pan. Place serving plate upside down on pan and turn pan and plate over. I actually just ran the knife around the side of the pan, loosened the band on the springform pan and slid the cake onto the serving plate. Either way should work.

Top cake with remaining ganache.

Arrange strawberries on top of ganache.

In small bowl, microwave baking chips and oil for 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Place in small resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut off tiny corner of bag. drizzle over top of cake.

This cake is definitely best served the day it is made, but it will keep in the refrigerator for two to three days, if it lasts that long.

• Servings: 12
• Difficulty: Medium
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Ingredients

Cake

• 1 Box Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix, prepared according to package directions
• 2 Cups Cut-up Fresh Strawberries

Ganache

• 2 packages Semi-sweet Baking Chocolate, finely chopped
• 1 1/3 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1/4 Cup Butter

Garnish

• Fresh Strawberries, cut in half lengthwise
• 1/4 Cup White Vanilla baking Chips
• 1/2 tsp. Vegetable Oil

Directions

1. Prepare cake according to package directions in a 13 x 9 inch pan and allow to cool completely. I made the cake the night before.
2. In a large bowl, place chopped chocolate, set aside.
3. In 2-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream and butter over medium heat until butter is melted and mixture comes to a boil.
4. Pour cream over chocolate.
5. Stir until chocolate is dissolved.
6. Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with a circle of waxed paper.
7. Cut cake into 1-inch cubes.
8. In large bowl, beat half of the cake cubes on low speed until crumbly.
9. Add remaining cake cubes and 13/4 cups of ganache (reserve remaining). Beat on low speed until well combined, about 30 seconds. The mixture should look like fudge.
10. Fold in 2 cups cut-up strawberries.
11. Spoon mixture into springform pan and press down to flatten; smooth top.
12. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 45 minutes or firm enough to unmold.
13. Run knife around side of pan. Place serving plate upside down on pan and turn pan and plate over. I actually just ran the knife around the side of the pan, loosened the band on the springform pan and slid the cake onto the serving plate. Either way should work.
14. Top cake with remaining ganache.
15. Arrange strawberries on top of ganache.
16. In small bowl, microwave baking chips and oil for 45 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Place in small resealable food-storage plastic bag; cut off tiny corner of bag. drizzle over top of cake.

Cooking Note

This cake is definitely best served the day it is made, but it will keep in the refrigerator for two to three days, if it lasts that long.

Recipe by:  Tilly Frueh – Simply Grateful Cooking

Hubby, Zeb, and Grace all fought over who was going to get the few leftover pieces of this cake. To me this means it was a success and one that I will most certainly be making again. In fact, I’m thinking of how I can make individual ones for Christmas get-togethers — wouldn’t that be decadent!

Taking a break and mixing up my daily to do list really makes a huge difference in my attitude and resolve, and for this I am — Simply Grateful.