Preparing this recipe is quick and easy, and requires only a few ingredients.  It is gluten-free (flourless) with a dark chocolate (72% cacao) base.  Had some ultra ripe, sweet raspberries that were just screaming to be made into a puree, which was added to half the batter. Added ground up chocolate covered espresso beans, because I love the combination of espresso and chocolate, to the other half of the batter.  You don’t have to limit yourself to these two flavors.  You can infuse the chocolate with just about anything your heart (and stomach) desires — add spices (chile and chocolate, perhaps), any number of fruit purees/preserves, extracts (mint, vanilla)…the skies the limit.

Warning: this is an extremely rich and decadent dessert; and is meant to be shared.  Serious chocolate overdoses have been known to occur.

Short and sweet.  Now, gotta run; have some dessert calling my name.  Time to dig in!

Chocolate Pudding Cake

makes 4 individual servings
7 ounces dark chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
3 large eggs
5 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes plus extra for buttering ramekins
powdered sugar for dusting on top

For raspberry chocolate pudding cake:
3 tablespoons raspberry puree (for 4 servings)

For espresso chocolate pudding cake:
4 tablespoons ground chocolate covered espresso beans (for 4 servings)
I put the espresso beans in the freezer overnight, roughly chopped, and then finely ground in a spice grinder.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter 4 small ramekins.

Chop the chocolate into small pieces.  Create a double-boiler by bringing a small pot of water, about 1/3 of the way full,  to a gentle simmer.  Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, and place over the pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally with a whisk until the chocolate has melted.  Remove the chocolate from the heat and add the butter, leaving it to melt.  Stir until the butter is incorporated into the chocolate.  Add the raspberry puree and/or ground espresso (if making two of each, divide the chocolate into two bowls before adding).

Put the sugar in a mixing bowl.  Separate the yolks and eggs.  Add the yolks to the sugar and, with a hand mixer, beat until thick and creamy.  In a separate bowl, beat the the whites until airy and almost stiff.

Fold the egg and sugar mixture into the chocolate.  Then, gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate, being careful not to overmix.

Spoon the batter into the four buttered ramekins.  Place on a baking sheet and bake about 15 minutes, until just set.  Serve warm.

Raspberry Puree

1 pint (2 cups) of raspberries
3/4 to 1 tablespoon brown sugar (depending on sweetness of raspberries)
Squeeze of lemon

Cook the raspberries, sugar, and lemon in a small pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries release their juices.  Simmer for a few more minutes until the mixture has thickened but is still fairly liquid.  Place a fine-meshed strainer over a heatproof bowl.  Pour the berry mixture through the strainer to remove the seeds, pressing down with a spoon to force the fruit and juices through.