It’s been quite a while since I’ve had chocolate lava cake, my old-time favorite dessert. Its absence from my life is a result of sugar-free living. (I’ll explain the whys and wherefores to you soon but, for now, suffice it to say that I’m very careful about ingesting sugar and sugar substitutes, and I generally avoid cakes, cookies, muffins, scones and any other kind of sugar-filled treat. That stuff is not food anyway, but I digress…) Normally the sugar-free lifestyle suits me perfectly and I rarely miss the sugar. Recently, however, I’ve been feeling a bit deprived. It’s fall and we’re entering the holiday (aka fattening up) season. Friends are posting recipes for sugar-filled treats on their blogs. So, hubby and I decided it was time to try out some sugar-free recipes. I found inspiration at Healthy Indulgences, and referred back to her inspiration at AllRecipes as well. My culinary hubby then helped me make substitutions better suited to our diet and to items we had on hand. I’m practically helpless in the kitchen, truth be told. This recipe was a breeze, however, and the results were OMG GOOD. Caution: This recipe is for dark-chocolate connoisseurs only. Chocolate Lava Cake for Two Ingredients: 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, salted 2 ounces of 72% dark chocolate 1 egg, left at room temperature 1 teaspoon flour 1/4 teaspoon stevia A splash of vanilla extract (about 1/4-1/2 teaspoon) Directions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Microwave butter and chocolate in a Pyrex bowl or measuring cup, 1-2 minutes. Add egg and beat until smooth. Add flour, stevia and vanilla extract, and mix well. Pour contents into one or two oven-safe ramekins, and bake until batter puffs up but centers are moist (6-8 minutes). Remove from the oven and eat while warm. Yum! Hubby and I both thought the cakes were delish straight from the oven, but he made his even better with a dollop of plain yogurt from the fridge. Enjoy,
Update November 18, 2012: I’ve tried this recipe a few more times and I don’t think it needs the stevia. If you are a dark chocolate fan, the chocolate will provide enough sweetness so you can skip any additional. Try it out and let me know what you think! You can also substitute almond flour for regular flour, but if you do, you’ll want to back off on the butter a bit so it’s less greasy.
A decadent dessert for two (sugar free, of course!)
