Hojicha White Chocolate Lava Cake (Printable View)

Individual molten cakes with creamy white chocolate and nutty roasted hojicha centers

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Lava Cakes

01 - 2.8 oz white chocolate, chopped
02 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1 large egg yolk
05 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
07 - 2 tbsp hojicha powder, finely ground
08 - 1 pinch of salt

→ For Serving

09 - Powdered sugar for dusting
10 - Fresh berries or whipped cream

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 390°F. Grease four 6-8 oz ramekins with butter and lightly dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
02 - Melt white chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water using double boiler method, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
03 - In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolk, and sugar until pale and slightly thickened, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Sift flour, hojicha powder, and salt into egg mixture. Gently fold to combine.
05 - Pour melted white chocolate mixture into egg mixture and fold until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
06 - Divide batter evenly among prepared ramekins.
07 - Place ramekins on baking tray and bake for 12 minutes, or until edges are set but centers remain soft and jiggly.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 1-2 minutes. Carefully run a thin knife around edges and invert each cake onto serving plates.
09 - Dust with powdered sugar and serve immediately, optionally with berries or whipped cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The molten center is a showstopper moment that never fails to impress, yet it's surprisingly simple to execute once you nail the timing.
  • Hojicha adds this unexpected earthiness that cuts through the sweetness, making you feel sophisticated while actually just eating fancy chocolate cake.
  • Four individual cakes mean everyone gets their own moment of drama without the stress of slicing and plating a larger dessert.
02 -
  • The 12-minute bake time is not a suggestion—I learned this the hard way when I kept adding a minute thinking more time meant better results, and ended up with a fully set cake that was delicious but missing that essential molten drama.
  • Let the chocolate mixture cool slightly before folding it into the eggs, because the residual heat will cook the eggs and you'll end up with scrambled bits instead of a smooth batter.
03 -
  • If you're chasing an extra-molten center, reduce the bake time by one minute and watch carefully—this is not a trick to use every time, but it's your secret weapon when you want maximum drama.
  • Room temperature eggs and butter mix more smoothly with the chocolate, so pull them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start baking for the silkiest possible batter.
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