So maybe I should have posted this a looong while ago, maybe February, when Valentine`s Day was here, but I was just too lazy to write anything. The general excuse.
What do you do when there is too many candy left from your birthday? You bake something with it because you are just so sick of the mainstream bar of chocolate that`s has been lingering for a good while in your drawer. Yes, thank you, I will have a warm, oozy chocolate cake just for ME. This recipe makes only ONE huge lava cake that has your name on it. And no, you are not supposed to eat it with anyone but alone because you deserve it.
I can be sooo selfish sometimes.
And now, who in their right mind would split dessert? Especially cake? Chocolate cake, to be more precise.
Oh, I forgot, this is not a regular lava cake...it has almonds on the bottom and dried cranberries to balance the sweetness. And Homemade Oreo Ice Cream for good measure. You`re welcome.
Another thing I would like to share with you, even tough it is kind of weird and...well, maybe not appropriate for this blog topic, is my little fitness journey. And what I achieved through sacrifice, sweat and pain: ABS! Not only have I grown stronger, but I also managed to figure out that balance is everything. And I`m talking food here. You can have that piece of cake without packing pounds on, you must know when and how much of it. Even athletes have epic meals. But not every single day. The only difference is that I am not a pro at sports, I do the best I can to stay in shape without stressing about it. And guess what? I enjoy every single meal I make for myself (or my family) because it is nutritious. You control what goes in it.
For those who wonder what I did for those abs...Pilates and a lot of cardio are involved. I am really curious how I will look over another 6 months of hard work. This is what you get when you don`t take countless selfies at the gym and sweat rivers instead. Sore muscles can become an addiction but it is one of the best addictions in the world. I dare you to try it.
Ingredients:
79 gr chocolate (it really doesn`t matter if it`s semisweet, plain, dark, it`s up to you)
11 gr raw almonds whole
11 g cranberries
15 g butter softened
1 egg
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 200 d C/425 d F and grease one large ramekin bowl with butter, then dust with 1 tsp cocoa powder. Arrange the almonds on the bottom of the ramekin, set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate over a water bath or in a microwave, stirring every 20-30 seconds so it doesn`t burn. Set aside
3. Beat the soft butter with the sugar until it is paste like, add the egg and beat 1 more minute. Combine this mixture with flour, vanilla extract and cranberries before folding in the melted chocolate. Do this in batches: at first, add only 1/4 of the chocolate to the batter, mix it in and then add the rest. This way you temper the batter, avoiding scrambling the eggs and making a mess.
4. Pour it in the ramekin and bake for 11 minutes or until the tops are set and slightly pull away from the sides of the bowl. Take it out of the oven and leave it 5 minutes at room temperature before flipping it over on a plate. Garnish with more cranberries, a touch of basil leaf and ice cream. Serve hot...darn good, I tell ya!
