Chocolate Lava Cake with Pomegranate Crème Anglaise
Chocolate Lave Cake:
5 ¼ oz. Butter
4 oz. Dark Chocolate
2 oz. Sugar
pinch Salt
2 ea Eggs
2 ea Egg Yolks
½ tsp Vanilla
1 oz. Pastry Flour, sifted
Pomegranate Crème Anglaise:
2 cups half and half
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
½ cup Sugar
6 Egg yolks
To taste pomegranate syrup (recipe follows)
Pomegranate Syrup:
½ cup Sugar
⅔ cup Pomegranate Juice (about 2 pomegranates)
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar (optional)
Chocolate Lava Cake:
Preheat convection oven to 400 degrees. Chop chocolate and place in a medium heatproof bowl. Chop butter and add to the chocolate. Melt butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan with simmering water. In a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment, combine the eggs, egg yolks, salt and sugar and whisk until a very thick ribbon stage. On low speed, add the vanilla to the egg mixture. Continuing on low speed, add the chocolate to the egg mixture. Fold the sifted flour into the mixture. Cool batter in the refrigerator until cold and thick. Divide batter into 4 buttered 6 ounce ramekins. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the outside is barely set and the center is jiggly; do not over bake.
Pomegranate Crème Anglaise:
Place yolks in a bowl with vanilla and whisk in sugar combining well.
In a heavy sauce pan heat half and half and bring just to a simmer about 190º then reduce heat to low.
With a ladle whisk in a small amount of hot liquid into egg yolks just to warm them slightly.
Once the yolks are tempered, pour them into the cream mixture whisking the entire time over low heat raise temperature to 175º.
Pour through a chinois and chill immediately. Once cool stir in desired amount of pomegranate syrup.
This can be made a day ahead of time.
Pomegranate Syrup:
Place above ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over medium low heat until sugar dissolves and liquid becomes slightly thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool.