Here’s the Dish: Hot Chocolate Pudding Cake

Jennifer Eng

Season greetings! During a recent procrastination session on a rainy afternoon, I avoided studying for finals by making a cozy treat. The delectable snack I will share today is called hot chocolate pudding cake. I like how the center of the cake is so moist that it resembles pudding. It’s very simple to make and all the ingredients were things that I already had in my kitchen. The dark, rich chocolate definitely satisfied my sweet tooth and it didn’t take too long to whip up. Also, it tastes best when it’s topped with ice cream, whipped cream, or powdered sugar. I recommend this recipe; it’s the perfect treat for the holiday season to combat the cold weather!

Duration: 30 minutes to prep and 25 minutes to bake.

Serves roughly 5 small ramekins or 3 large ramekins.

 

All of the ingredients
All of the ingredients

Ingredients:

  • Ramekins of any size
  • 3 oz of unsalted butter, sliced and at room temperature
  • ¾ cups 60-70% dark chocolate chips
  • 3 large eggs
  • a pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF and set the ramekins on a baking sheet.
The chocolate and butter (you should cut the butter in small chunks, so it'll melt better)
The chocolate and butter
(you should cut the butter in small chunks, so it’ll melt better)
Melting the chocolate and butter
Melting the chocolate and butter

      2. Cut the butter into small pieces and combine with the chocolate in a medium-sized bowl. Place the chocolate and butter bowl over a pan of slightly boiling water. Stir the mix until it’s melted             completely, then remove the bowl from the heat.

The egg, sugar, and salt mix
The egg, sugar, and salt mix
A few seconds into mixing
A few seconds into mixing
10 minutes into mixing
10 minutes into mixing

3. Combine the eggs, sugar, and salt with an electric mixer in a separate bowl until it’s light and foamy. For me, it took roughly ten minutes for it to form, but it will take longer with a whisk.

Folding 1/3 of the egg batter into the chocolate
Folding 1/3 of the egg batter into the chocolate

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After mixing the chocolate into the egg mix
After mixing the chocolate into the egg mix

       4. Fold ⅓ of the beaten egg mix the chocolate to make it more light and fluffy.

Add all of the chocolate mix into the egg batter
Add all of the chocolate mix into the egg batter
After adding the chocolate mix to the remaining egg batter
After adding the chocolate mix to the remaining egg batter

      5. After you combined a little of the egg mix to the chocolate, add that chocolate mix to the rest of the eggs. Fold it in until it is entirely incorporated.

Putting the batter into the large ramekins
Putting the batter into the large ramekins

      6. Divide the batter into the ramekin and do not fill the batter to the brim. I recommend filling in roughly ¾ of it full.

       7. If you are baking it with small ramekins, you should cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the center puffs upward, out of the ramekin. To check, insert a toothpick into the center and see if the                    chocolate is attached. For large ramekins, you should leave it in for roughly 25 minutes.

The pièce de résistance
The pièce de résistance
The warm, gooey center of the cake
The warm, gooey center of the cake

8. Let them cool for 5 minutes and top them with anything you prefer!