Salted Caramel Lava Cakes

By duckieq

Ingredients

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter softened: 4 tbsp. or 2 oz.
• 1/2 cup Ghirardelli Bitter-Sweet Chocolate Chips (4 ounces) or semi-sweet chocolate chips for sweeter results
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salted caramel sauce : I love Trader Joe's Brand
• Serving Suggestions
• Salted Caramel or Toffee flavor Ice-Cream
• Coarse sea salt optional- depends on how salty your caramel sauce is
• Powdered sugar for dusting on top

Preparation

Step 1

Melt butter and chocolate chips in the microwave, about 30 seconds to a minute. Using a whisk, mix well. Sift in confectioners sugar and mix again. Add eggs, vanilla, salt and mix well. Sift in flour and whisk till everything is incorporated.
Grease silicone cupcake molds or 4 oz. ramekins (using Pam cooking oil spray). There are two options of making these Salted Caramel Lava cakes.
Option 1: Pour batter in molds, filling them half way. Pour 1 teaspoon or more of salted caramel sauce in the center. Pour batter on top, leaving 1/4 inch from the top. In this option, the caramel sauce will ooze out 'with' the chocolate lava, from within the cake.
Option 2: Start by pouring caramel sauce at the bottom of the mold. Pour batter on top, leaving 1/4 inch from the top. In this option, the salted caramel sauce will melt all over your lava cake when you invert it.
So choose based on your preference, either way, you'll end up with a wicked good lava cake.
Instant Pot Recipe
Put 1 cup water and place trivet in the Inner pot of the Instant Pot. Place cakes on trivet. Close lid. Set vent to SEALING.
Cook on MANUAL (hi-pressure) for 7 minutes. If you like a less gooey center, increase time to 8-9 minutes.
QR (quick release) the pressure and remove the cakes. Cool for 1 minute and invert the cakes into the serving plate and dust with confectioners sugar (optional). Serve with a scoop of Salted Caramel or Toffee flavor ice-cream. Enjoy!