Twelve years ago: For Beaming, Bewitching Breads Ten years ago: Chocolate Whiskey and Beer Cupcakes and Crispy Black Bean Tacos with Feta and SlawĮleven years ago: Seven-Yolk Pasta Dough and Best Chocolate Pudding Nine years ago: Best Cocoa Brownies and Chana Masala Three years ago: Miso Black Sesame Caramel Corn and Hot and Sour Soupįour years ago: Oven-Braised Beef with Tomatoes and Garlic and Pecan Sticky Bunsįive years ago: Chocolate Hazelnut Linzer Hearts and Chocolate Peanut Butter CheesecakeĮight years ago: Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake One year ago: Slow-Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Korean-Braised Short Ribs You’re not going to tell them, right? That this cake has 6 ingredients, basically pantry staples? That it takes 5 minutes to assemble in a single bowl, and 7 to bake? Because if you did, you might have to make it nightly for now on. And while I don’t do it here, I want you to make sure you know that you can put a spoonful of almost anything in the middle (Nutella, cold butterscotch or caramel sauce or these caramel squares, raspberry sauce, not to mention all of the ways you can flavor chocolate, such as with espresso powder, mint extract, citrus zest, and more) and it will become one with the molten center upon baking and everyone will think you are even more of a magician. It makes only two cakes, because I think that’s exactly the right number (for a weeknight luxury, we split them, and add a spoonful of ice cream or barely sweetened whipped cream).

I’ve found I can swap the flour with a little cocoa (in the cake and also to “flour” the baking dishes) and it works perfectly, plus is now gluten-free. This recipe tweaks the classic in just minor ways, because it wasn’t broken.

Or, even better, an I-don’t-need-a-date-to-make-awesome-cake night. If tiny sunglasses, overalls (much to my delight), combat boots (ditto), flannels, slip dresses, small backpacks, choker necklaces, crop tops, and other 1990s treasures can have their moment again, why not these? At least, perhaps, for the duration of a single date night. But it’s not just about me anymore, is it? Last Valentines I had a moment of glowy domestic benevolence and decided to make them for the family and blew each and every one of their minds, most especially my husband, who demanded to know if I had known how to make them all along, why had I waited so long? Fair enough. There are enough riffs on it out there to fill two internets does anyone need another? The Smitten Kitchen has been lava cake-free since its 2006 inception mostly because I’m not terribly into warm, oozy desserts (I KNOW). From their big debut in the 1990s from chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten to their ever-presence on dessert menus since, chocolate molten lava cakes are easily one of the most trodden tropes of the restaurant world.

Oops all berries ingredients