Molten Chocolate Cake or Coulant au Chocolat

Mmm Chocolate "Coulant", this nice little cake with a smooth and runny center... 

So if you love chocolate, especially, the ooey-gooey style, so this is for you! 

This dessert has become so popular that one might think it has always existed, when in fact it was created in 1981 by Michel Bras, France’s most venerated chef, in his restaurant of Laguiole. 

The original recipe uses a frozen ganache filling surrounded by a cookie dough. Since 1981, the recipe has been simplified and the principle of 2 textures, 2 different temperatures is now often neglected.  Many food writers have rhapsodized that this coulant has been copied often but never equaled. 

Although simplified, this coulant au chocolat is just as appetizing as the original one. Fortunately, there’s a classic version of this amazing chocolate cake that’s easier to accomplish. Unfortunately I have never had the opportunity to taste the Michel Bras version. Hopefully soon!!

Ingredients:
100g (3.5 oz) of dark chocolate (over 70%)
100g (7 tbsp) of butter
100g (1/2 cup) superfine sugar
50g (1/3 cup) of flour
3 eggs
An untreated orange

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200°C).

Melt butter and chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
Remove from heat, add sugar and stir with a wooden spoon or with a normal one, but not with a whisk, you do not want to incorporate air. Stir until sugar dissolves.

Add flour, stir and add the eggs 1 by 1 stirring after each addition.

Grate an orange into the chocolate mixture.

Place in moulds or ramekins. Bake in the oven 10 to 12 minutes.

Moelleux au chocolat

Ingrédients:

100g de chocolat (70%)

100g de beurre

100g de sucre

50g de farine

3 œufs

Le zeste d'une orange

Préchauffez le four à 200°C.

Au bain marie, faites fondre le chocolat et le beurre coupés en morceaux.

Hors feu, incorporez le sucre et mélangez à l'aide d'une cuillère en bois.

Ajoutez la farine, mélangez puis ajoutez les œufs, un par un, en mélangeant après chaque ajout.

Ajoutez le zeste d'orange. Versez dans des moules ou des ramequins et enfournez 10 à 12 mn.