The Only Chocolate Dessert You'll Ever Need

Okay, folks, don't kill the messenger. I've been asked by several of you for the recipe for the previously discussed yumtastic dessert, so here it is. If you make it, write me back and let me know what you think.

Chocolate Espresso Lava Cake
From “125 Best Chocolate Chip Recipes” by Julie Hasson

(From the book: “These cakes are really chocolate brownie soufflés that are baked in coffee mugs. They are truly delicious, embodying everything that a chocolate dessert should be. You can make them ahead of time, then pop them in the oven as your guests sit down for the main course.”)

Six 1-cup ovenproof ceramic coffee mugs, greased

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
5 tsp. espresso powder (note: I didn’t use this and the dessert didn’t suffer)
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
¼ tsp. almond extract
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder and baking powder.
In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter and granulated and brown sugars until well blended. Whisk in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and almond extract. Whisk in flour mixture. Divide batter among prepared coffee mugs (about 2/3 cup in each). (Note: I used little soufflé cups). Top each with 2 tbsp. chocolate chips. Gently press chips into batter. Cover and refrigerate mugs for at least one hour or for up to one day. (Note: I had leftovers that I used two days later and they were fine.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Let mugs with batter stand at room temperature for five minutes. Bake, uncovered, until cakes are puffed and crusty and tester inserted into center comes out with thick batter attached, about 30 minutes. (Note: I put them on a baking sheet which was a good idea, since they overflowed a little.) Let cool in mugs on a rack for five minutes.

The recipe says to serve with espresso whipped cream, but we ate ours plain and they were perfect. I can only imagine if you paired this with whipped cream and raspberries or vanilla ice cream that it would just be complete and utter euphoria.