Columbia City Hotel

Columbia, California

Specialty Recipe

Chocolate Lava Cake with Creme Fraiche Ice Cream

Cake Ingredients:

10 ounces bittersweet chocolate

5 ounces unsweetened chocolate

10 ounces butter, unsalted

6 Tablespoons cornstarch

14 ounces sugar

8 eggs

8 egg yolks

1 ounce (2 Tablespoons) rum

Creme Fraiche Ice Cream Ingredients:

2 cups creme fraiche or sour cream

2 cups buttermilk

1-1/4 cups sugar

3 ounces lemon juice

Cake: Chop chocolate. Melt with butter in bain marie. Sift the cornstarch and the sugar into a large stainless bowl. Whisk in the chocolate mix, eggs, yolks, and rum. Chill for 2 hours or overnight before using. (Can be ice bathed if rushed.)

Brush molds (flan molds, or small souffle dishes, or ring molds can be used) with soft butter and coat with sugar. Use an ice cream scooper dipped in water to fill molds about 1/2 way or a little more. Bake in 325-degree convection oven until risen but not exploded on top (10 to 14 minutes.) Unmold onto a plate already set with a scoop of creme fraiche ice cream and some berry sauce. Blackberry is recommended.

Ice Cream: Put all ingredients in ice cream maker and freeze. Push plastic wrap onto surface of ice cream and store in freezer.

Chef's notes: Some experimentation will be necessary, as ovens cook differently, mold size and thickness affect baking time, and other factors will vary. Just remember that the cake must be liquid in the center, and it works best when underbaked. (If even slightly overdone, it sticks.) Ceramic molds with smooth insides or metal ring molds seem to work best. This is one of Columbia City Hotel's most popular desserts. If you haven't joined them for dinner yet, try this for a "taste of the City Hotel." Bon appetit!

• You found this recipe on 1st Traveler's Choice Internet Cookbook. (www.virtualcities.com)