Sunken Raspberry Cakes with Raspberry Sauce

Yield: 8 servings; 1 1/2 cups sauce

Ingredients

Cakes

• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (175g)
• 1/3 cup butter (75mL)
• 4 eggs, separated
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar (150mL)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted (25mL)
• Raspberry Sauce (recipe follows)
• 1 cup raspberry sorbet (250mL)

Raspberry Sauce

• 1 package (300g) frozen raspberries, thawed
• 1/3 cup water (75mL)
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25mL)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice (5mL)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Grease eight 6 ounce (175mL) ramekins; line bottoms with parchment paper. Set ramekins aside.

Cakes

1. In a large bowl over saucepan of hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate with butter until smooth; set aside.
2. In another heatproof bowl over saucepan of gently simmering water, whisk egg yolks with 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the sugar; cook, whisking constantly, until light and thickened, about 8 minutes. Fold one quarter into chocolate mixture; fold in remaining yolk mixture. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form; beat in remaining sugar, 2 tablespoons (25 mL) at a time, until stiff peaks form. Fold cocoa and one-third of the egg whites into chocolate mixture; fold in remaining egg whites. Spoons into prepared ramekins. Bake in center of oven until puffed and edges are set, about 20 minutes. Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
4. Invert cakes onto dessert plates; remove paper. Garnish each plate with raspberry sauce; top with scoop of raspberry sorbet.

Raspberry Sauce

1. In a blender or food processor; pulse together raspberries, water, sugar and lemon juice until smooth; press through fine sieve to remove seeds.

Notes

Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 1 week.