That chocolate lava cake that turned into a soup, then I fixed it with cornstarch

I was making those little ramekin lava cakes for a dinner party in Austin last Saturday and pulled them out way too early, they looked fine for 2 minutes then collapsed into liquid pools on the plate. Instead of tossing them, I whisked a teaspoon of cornstarch into each warm puddle and microwaved them in 15 second bursts until they set into a weird but tasty chocolate pudding sauce. Has anyone else saved a ruined dessert with a quick thickener, or am I just making a bigger mess?

2 comments

2 Comments

sethc127d ago

Three years ago I did almost the exact same thing with a flourless chocolate torte that refused to set, and the cornstarch trick was a REAL lifesaver. I added a pinch of instant coffee along with the thickener and it took the edge off the sweetness, turned it into something my friends called "liquid brownie". The key for me was whisking like crazy while it was still warm, otherwise you get lumps that taste like raw paste. I also learned to keep a box of cornstarch near the stove now, it's saved me more times than I can count. Honestly, your version sounds better than the original cake, that sauce probably stayed moist way longer.

matthew_owens97d agoOG Member

Is it just me, or is every kitchen disaster secretly just a chance to learn what cornstarch can do? You basically invented a new dessert by accident, which honestly sounds like a win.