Jennifer Larson of Beirut, Lebanon, writes: "I had a fabulous lunch at Rosa Mexicano in New York. The warm chocolate cake with sweet tomatillo sauce really stood out. Can you get the recipe?"
Chocolate labels can be confusing because there's no official distinction between semisweet and bittersweet. We tested this recipe using Valrhona (56%), which is labeled semisweet, Ghirardelli Bittersweet, and Lindt Bittersweet. We got the best result using Valrhona (56%), but if Valrhona is not available, we recommend Ghirardelli Bittersweet over Lindt Bittersweet for this recipe.
· Cakes can be made and unmolded (while hot) up to 2 hours ahead and kept at room temperature, uncovered.
· If you have limited counter space and are baking cakes ahead, unmold cakes onto a baking sheet lined with a nonstick bakeware liner (such as Silpat) and transfer to dessert plates with a spatula before serving.
Recipe information
Total Time
3 1/4 hr
Yield
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F. Butter ramekins and dust with sugar, knocking out excess.
Step 2
Toast chiles in a dry heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Discard stems, seeds, and ribs, then soak chiles in hot water to cover until softened, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving soaking liquid. Purée chiles in a mini food processor or a blender, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons soaking liquid as needed to form a paste. Force paste through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard solids. Set aside 1 1/2 tablespoons chile paste and freeze remainder for another use.
Step 3
Bring juice and 1 cup sugar to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour hot syrup over chocolate in a large bowl, stirring until chocolate is melted. Add butter and stir until melted.
Step 4
Add eggs 1 at a time, whisking after each addition, then stir in chile paste, flour, and salt. Divide among ramekins and bake in hot water bath , uncovered, until just firm and top is starting to crust, 50 to 60 minutes. Transfer ramekins with tongs to a work surface and let stand 2 minutes.
Step 5
Unmold warm cakes directly onto dessert plates (they will be difficult to move once they adhere).
Step 6
*Available at Mexican markets, many supermarkets, and Chile Today—Hot Tamale (800-468-7377).
