After my three-layered chocolate espresso cake with a chocolate ganache and coffee buttercream frosting (just the average cake, you know) for Halloween, CRU Kafe has once again asked me to create a recipe – this time a Valentine’s theme. I have to admit: I’m not the super romantic kind of girl really, but had a blast using anything that says “love“ for the recipe and decoration of these cakes.
So, I served the molten chocolate espresso cakes with chocolate coated strawberries (spoiler: I’ve already written a few lines on strawberries in February on Instagram; please note that I would be a very happy woman if you didn’t follow my example and use seasonal fruits instead) as well as with chopped pistachios and strawberry sauce. If you wanted to go all-in, then perhaps even consider serving the cakes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Whoop!
The recipe is also up on CRU Kafe’s website. Follow CRU on Instagram or Facebook to be updated about my blog posts and recipes for them, and to find out more about their delicious coffee obviously.
Happy Valentine’s day, and happy molten chocolate espresso cake feast!
Love,
Lea Lou
Molten chocolate espresso cakes
For four small cakes.
70 grams unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
200 grams dark chocolate (min. 60 % cacao solids)
60 grams sugar
2 eggs, organic preferably
1 egg yolk, organic preferably
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (or use the pulp of 1/2 vanilla bean)
50 millilitres very strong espresso, freshly brewed and cooled
50 grams all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
25 grams unsweetened cacao powder
A pinch sea salt
To serve (optional):
Chocolate-covered strawberries (see recipe below)
Icing sugar or cacao powder, to dust
Chocolate or berry sauce
Vanilla ice cream
For the chocolate-covered strawberries:
50 grams dark chocolate (min. 60 % cacao solids)
1 teaspoon coconut oil
100 grams strawberries
1 tablespoon pistachios, roughly chopped
Method:
Note: If the cakes are served with the chocolate-covered strawberries, start by preparing those.
For the chocolate espresso cakes, grease four dessert ramekins with soft butter.
Place the butter and roughly chopped chocolate in a bowl over a hot water bath and allow to melt, stirring.
Mix the sugar, eggs, egg yolk and vanilla extract (or pulp) in a bowl and whisk until creamy. Add espresso and melted chocolate and whisk again until creamy.
In a separate bowl, mix the flour with baking powder, cacao powder and salt.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones and quickly combine using a wooden or metal spoon.
Divide the batter over the prepared ramekins and refrigerate for an hour at least.
Preheat the oven to 200°C degrees (fan). Place the ramekins on a baking rack in the centre of the oven and bake the cakes for 15 – 20 minutes, until a wooden skewer inserted to the centre of the cakes comes out moist but the outside of the cakes is dry. Remove the ramekins from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes.
Turn the cakes upside down onto serving plates, and serve with chocolate-covered strawberries (recipe below), sauces, ice cream and icing sugar, if desired.
For the chocolate-covered strawberries, roughly chop the chocolate. Place chocolate and coconut oil in a bowl, then place the bowl in a saucepan filled with almost boiling hot water, creating a water bath. Melt the chocolate, stirring, until the chocolate and coconut oil are well combined and have a shiny glaze.
Wash the strawberries and cut large ones in halves. Dip the berries halfway into the chocolate and sprinkle with a few chopped pistachios. Allow to dry on a piece of parchment paper.
Serve the berries with the molten espresso chocolate cakes, and keep remaining strawberries refrigerated until served.
