Chocolate Lava Cookies

 

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dark baking chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chopped
• 1/4 cup baking cocoa
• 2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• cookies:
• 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Confectioners' sugar, for topping

Directions

1. Place chopped chocolate and butter in a large heat-safe bowl; set aside. In a small saucepan, warm heavy cream until it begins to simmer. Whisk in cocoa powder until dissolved. Pour warm cocoa cream over the chopped chocolate and butter; stir until completely melted, smooth, and glossy. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze at least 1 hour or until firm, yet scoopable.
2. Remove from the freezer. Line a 15x10x1-in. baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop tablespoonfuls of the chocolate mixture; roll into balls. Arrange on the prepared sheet pan 1/2-in. apart; freeze at least 30 minutes or until firm.
3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking cocoa, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt; set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating well after each addition until evenly combined. Beat in vanilla extract.
5. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients; mix just until combined and no dry patches of flour remain. Cover; chill at least 30 minutes or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 15x10x1-in. baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the fudge balls from the freezer. Scoop 2 tablespoons of dough; shape into a ball and then flatten into a disc. Place one fudge ball into the center of the dough; fold the edges of the dough to completely encase the fudge in the middle. Pinch and smooth any seams to prevent leakage. Arrange the balls 2 in. apart on the prepared baking sheet (do not place more than 6 cookies on a pan).
7. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set on the edges and nearly set in the center. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 410 calories, 23g fat (14g saturated fat), 71mg cholesterol, 249mg sodium, 51g carbohydrate (32g sugars, 3g fiber), 5g protein.