HOT FUDGE PUDDING CAKE (for eight)
2 teaspoons instant coffee (if you have brewed coffee on hand, it can be used in place of the instant coffee and water, but make sure it isn’t too strong – use 1 cup of cold coffee mixed with ½ cup of water)
1-1/2 cups water
2/3 cup (2-1/2 ounces) Dutch processed cocoa
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed (1-3/4 ounces) brown sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
¾ cup (3-1/2 ounces) unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg yolk
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1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325*. Lightly spray an 8 inch square glass or ceramic baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Stir instant coffee into water and set aside to dissolve (or use brewed coffee in the proportions described above). Stir together 1/3 cup cocoa, brown sugar and 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a small bowl, breaking up any large clumps with your fingers, and set aside.
2. Melt butter, remaining 1/3 cup cocoa and chocolate in a small bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water; whisk until smooth and set aside to cool slightly. Whisk flour and baking powder in small bowl to combine and set aside. Whisk remaining 2/3 cup sugar, vanilla, milk and salt in medium bowl until combined, then whisk in egg yolk. Add chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Add flour mixture and whisk until batter is evenly moistened.
3. Pour batter into prepared baking dish and spread evenly to sides and corners. Sprinkle cocoa/sugar mixture evenly over batter (cocoa mixture should cover entire surface of batter). Pour coffee mixture gently over cocoa mixture.
4. Bake until cake is puffed and bubbling and just beginning to pull away from the sides of the baking dish, about 45 minutes (do not overbake). Cool cake in dish on a wire rack about 25 minutes before serving.
NOTE: To make individual hot fudge pudding cakes, follow the recipe above, heating the oven to 400* and lightly spraying eight 6 to 8 ounce ramekins with nonstick cooking spray and set ramekins on a baking sheet. Divide batter evenly among ramekins (about ¼ cup per ramekin) and level with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons of the cocoa/sugar mixture over batter in each ramekin. Pour 3 tablespoons coffee mixture over cocoa/sugar mixture in each ramekin. Bake until puffed and bubbling, about 20 minutes (do not overbake). Cool ramekins about 15 minutes before serving (cakes will fall).