FYI-Day Fun Facts: Molten Lava Cake


FYI-Day Fun Facts: Molten Lava Cake image credits: Food Network

What’s in a Valentine’s Day dessert? Some of us may not necessarily know, but one of the most popular desserts that’s regularly ordered during romantic dates happens to be the molten chocolate cake.

This history behind  the dessert itself is much contended by, similar to how people would argue exactly how many years they have been in love and other mudane matters in love. Most would cite Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten as the creator of the cake, the story of how the chef accidentally pulled a chocolate sponge cake out of the oven before it was finished and discovered a runny center. Chocolatier Jacques Torres claims that the dish itself has been available in France before, by himself. Lucky Peach's  own history of the dish says that it dates back to a 1966 Pillsbury bake-off in which the second-place winner was called the Tunnel of Fudge Cake. The United States-based chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, ultimately was the one who popularized it in the United States, becoming a staple at high-end restaurants back in the late 80s and 90s.

To this day, the molten chocolate cake is popular with home cooks, with many able to create the dessert in 12 minutes. Since you have a month to go for Valentine’s Day, why not take the time to learn a recipe or two to surprise your loved ones with?