Treat guests to a freshly baked gluten free Nutella lava cake. Add your favorite toppings to customize this stunning dessert.
ingredient
- 1 ½ cups hazelnuts, roasted or raw
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
- 4 ounces unsalted butter, plus 1 tablespoon
- 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 60% cacao reccomended
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Add hazelnuts to a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the center of the oven for about 8 minutes if roasted, or 12 minutes if raw until warmed and lightly golden in color. When heated the oil in the hazelnuts makes it easier to grind.
- Remove nuts from the oven and transfer to a kitchen towel. Using your hands, cover the nuts with the towel and rub to remove and loosen as much skin as possible.
- Transfer hazelnuts to a blender or food processor. Mix on low for 1 minute then scrape the sides. Mix on medium speed for 1 minute and scrape, then mix 1 minute again or until smooth.
- Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips over a double boiler or in a microwave at 30-second increments until melted.
- Transfer melted chocolate, cocoa powder, vanilla and salt to the blender. Blend for 1 minute on medium spend. Add 1 teaspoon maple syrup and blend another 10 seconds. Taste and add more maple syrup if desired. Note that the more maple syrup you add, and if it's cold, the thicker the mixture will become so add gradually.
- Transfer to a container with a lid and refrigerate until ready to fill the cakes.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a microwave-safe dish for 30 seconds. Brush melted butter on the inside of four 8-ounce ramekins. Lightly coat with gluten-free flour. Tap out the excess flour. Set the ramekins on a baking sheet.
- In a double boiler, over simmering water, melt 4 ounces butter with 6 ounces chocolate. Remove from the heat and whisk together to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the egg yolks, sugar and salt at high speed until thickened and pale, about 3 minutes.
- Quickly fold the chocolate into the egg mixture. Fold in the flour until combined. Evenly divide the batter about ½ full into the 4 prepared ramekins. Add 1 tablespoon of Nutella into the center of each ramekin. Evenly divide and top with more cake batter.
- Bake on a sheet tray for 9 minutes, or until the sides of the cakes are firm, the tops are just slightly cracked, but the centers are soft and slightly jiggly. Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute.
- Run a knife or small spatula along the sides of the ramekins a few times to release the cake. Cover each ramekin with an inverted dessert plate. Carefully turn each one over, let stand for 10 seconds and then unmold. Use the spatula or knife to lift the corner of the ramekin and a gloved hand to lift and unmold the cake. Add desired toppings. Serve immediately.