Red Velvet Lava Cake Recipe

Prepare ramekins

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Generously butter four 6-oz ramekins with the melted butter, then dust inside with the cocoa powder, tapping out excess. Place ramekins on a baking sheet.

Brown the butter

In a light-colored saucepan, melt 8 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling often, until butter foams, then solids turn deep golden brown and smell nutty (about 4–6 minutes). Remove from heat immediately and let cool 2 minutes.

Melt chocolate

Add chopped bittersweet chocolate to the warm brown butter and stir until fully melted and glossy. If needed, warm gently over a double boiler but do not overheat. Stir in 1 tablespoon flour and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder until smooth.

Make batter

In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and brown sugar with the eggs and extra yolk until smooth and slightly pale (about 1 minute). Whisk in vanilla, vinegar, red food coloring, and a pinch of salt. Fold the chocolate-butter mixture into the egg mixture until homogenous. The batter will be thick but pourable.

Fill ramekins & bake

Divide batter evenly among the prepared ramekins (about 3.5–4 oz batter each). Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set but centers still look slightly jiggly. Do not overbake — you want a molten center.

Unmold

Let cakes rest 1 minute after removing from oven. Run a small knife around the edge of each ramekin to loosen, then invert onto plates. If they resist, warm the bottom of ramekin briefly or tap the rim gently. Dust with confectioners' sugar and sprinkle a few cocoa nibs.

Brown butter

In a small skillet, melt 6 tbsp butter over medium heat until solids brown and aroma is nutty, about 4–6 minutes. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool slightly.

Warm dairy

In a saucepan, warm the milk and cream together over medium heat until just steaming (do not boil). Remove from heat.

Temper yolks

In a bowl, whisk the 4 egg yolks with the granulated and brown sugars until smooth. Slowly ladle about 1/3 of the warm milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly to temper. Repeat with another 1/3, then pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture.

Cook custard

Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula, until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of the spatula (170–175°F / 77–80°C). Do not let it boil. Remove from heat.

Finish and chill

Stir the browned butter into the hot custard, then whisk in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any solids. Cool to room temperature, then cover and chill thoroughly (2–4 hours or overnight). Freeze in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer instructions until firm. Transfer to a container and harden in the freezer at least 2 hours before serving.

Make tuile batter

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, powdered sugar, flour, beaten egg white, vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt until smooth. Fold in the chopped cocoa nibs.

Bake and shape

Spoon 1 tablespoon portions of batter onto the prepared sheet, spacing at least 3 inches apart, and spread each into a thin circle (~3 inches diameter) with the back of a spoon. Bake 6–8 minutes until edges are set and surface looks matte. Working quickly while warm, use a thin spatula to lift each tuile and drape over a rolling pin or bottle to shape into a curved tuile. If crisping is needed, return shaped tuiles to the oven 1–2 minutes. Let cool to set.

Scoop a generous portion of chilled brown butter ice cream and place beside each warm red velvet lava cake on a serving plate.

Lean a cocoa nib tuile against the ice cream for height and texture. Dust the cake lightly with confectioners' sugar and sprinkle extra cocoa nibs around the plate for garnish.

Serve immediately while cakes are warm and ice cream is cold. Makes 4 servings.