Falling Chocolate Cakes with Creme Anglaise and Raspberry Sauce

Butter for ramekins

12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 C. unsalted butter

1 C. granulated sugar

1/2 C. all-purpose flour

6 large eggs

Butter 7 (4-ounce) ramekins. Set aside. Heat oven to 375°F.

Place chocolate and butter in top of a double boiler over simmering water. Cover with plastic wrap and melt completely. Set aside to cool.

Place sugar, flour and eggs in a large bowl and beat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes. Gently stir in cooled chocolate mixture.

Pour batter into the prepared ramekins, filling each two-thirds to three-fourths full. Place ramekins on baking sheet and bake until cakes begin to puff, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and run a knife around the edges of each ramekin.

To serve, turn the ramekin upside down on a plate to unmold. Serve with creme anglaise and raspberry sauce.


Creme Anglaise:

Makes 3 cups

1 vanilla bean

2 C. milk

3/4 C. granulated sugar

6 egg yolks

Cut the vanilla beans in half and add to milk in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring milk to a simmer.

While the milk is heating, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until the sugar dissolves and the yolks are pale yellow.

As the milk approaches a simmer, remove the vanilla bean halves and scrape each one with a knife to release the tiny seeds. Return the seeds to the milk.

When the milk simmers, pour half of it into the egg yolk mixture, gently whisking. Add the egg yolk/milk mixture to the saucepan and stir over medium heat with a wooden spoon. Stir constantly, being careful to reach around and into the corners where the cream is most likely to curdle.

Do not let cream boil.

Cook until cream is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat but continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes to prevent curdling. Strain cream through a strainer. Stir cream over a bowl of ice to cool quickly.


Raspberry Sauce:

2 C. raspberries

Sugar syrup, optional

Mash berries force through a strainer, pressing with a wooden spoon or ladle. To remove more seeds, pass through a strainer lined with cheesecloth a second time. Add sugar syrup if desired.