How can I 1/2 this recipe???

[cjc519]

I'm a novice baker and am attempting to make Bittersweet Molten Chocolate Cakes (from epicurious.com) for dinner tonight (a late Valentine's Day dinner) for myself and my husband. The recipe will yield 8 individual cakes which is way too much. I'd like to only make 4 (the kids will love eating the extras!), but am not sure how to reduce the eggs by half. The recipe call for 3 large eggs and 3 large egg yolks. Any suggestions for me? The rest of the recipe seems pretty easy. Alternately, anyone have a good recipe similar to this that you can make for just 2? Thanks!!

[thew]

US egg sizes

Egg sizes Average weight

Jumbo 2 1/2 oz (71g)
Extra-large 2 1/4 oz (64g)
Large 2 oz (57g)
Medium 1 3/4 oz (50g)
Small 1 1/2 oz (43g)
Peewee 1 1/4 oz (35g)

[cjc519]

Thank you everyone for all of the comments! And thanks Jfood for the rec... those cakes were amazing!!!!! They were also so easy to make. I made a full batch and wound up with four. I put two in the freezer uncooked, per MMRuth's suggestion. Highly recommend trying these!

[jfood]

Whew!

Glad to help.

After jfood read what you were doing he walked to his pantry to check the chocolate supply to see if he could make as well for after their dinner out with friends. Someone ate the bittersweet. Ugh!

[cjc519]

Hope you were able to get your chocolate fix somehow:)

[Miss Needle]

Are you making this recipe?

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

If so, I made it last night. I thirded (is that even a word?) the recipe, thinking I would make two and a little extra. It actually made enough for two people. The recipe yields very small cakes. For four people, I would just make 2/3 of the recipe -- really easy to divide then, using two eggs and two egg yolks.

[cjc519]

That is the recipe I was planning on.... until I read Jfood's review! I just now realized, though, that I only have bittersweet chocolate. Jfood's calls for bittersweet and unsweetened. Looks like I'm back to the original. Thanks again for the help!

[jfood]

CJC

The sauce calls for unsweetened, not the cake. Skip the sauce and serve with vanilla ice cream if you would like.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[Miss Needle]

You're welcome. The recipe is really good. You won't be disappointed. Just make sure you really butter and sugar the ramekins well. It seems that a lot of people have problems getting the cake out in one piece.

[jfood]

MN

jfood did not mean to step on your recipe suggestion, apologies.

both recipes are very similar and hopefully cjc enjoys either.

[Miss Needle]

jfood, I never would have even thought that you were trying to overstep my recipe suggestion. Apology not necessary. As the OP had no unsweetened chocolate, the recipe I used seemed like the better alternative.

[violabratsche]

Medium or small eggs, I agree.
For future reference, if something like this comes up again, or should I say, before it does, when you are out and about, check out the farmers markets, and talk to the egg producers. Ask the producers if they carry peewee eggs. I get mine at my local asian grocers. I have found that I can replace 1 large egg with 2 peewee sized eggs, making it very convenient to divide recipes.

AnnieG

[chowser]

I usually err on the side of more fat and better taste so would probably do 3 egg yolk, one egg.

[jfood]

CJC

If it is the recipe with the mint chocolate sauce it is outstanding but hard pressed it it will yield 8. jfood made the batter a few months ago in the late morning and placed in the fridge. Then he spooned into the ramekins about 30-45 minutes before he needed to bake them. Just a suggestion. It was for four people.

And the extra he made for a mid-morning snack the next day. :-)) Yielded another 1.5'ish

[cjc519]

Thanks, everyone! Never thought of just measuring it all out and removing half... makes sense:) Jfood, I wasn't originally going to make that particular recipe until I read your post from the other day. My only problem was thinking it made 8.... I'm going to try it out now that I know I can make it in batches. Hopefully, I won't screw it up.

[DGresh]

you see I was being frugal and suggesting use two eggs and remove a quarter rather than three and remove a half. Same result :)

[jfood]

BTW - jfood was not enamored with the mint sauce, a lot of work. Some really good vanilla ice cream works great.

Enjoy. Oh and be real careful when you turn the ramekins over, they are very hot and a little difficult with the cake poofing.

[cjc519]

I just noticed I only have bittersweet chocolate. Do you think I could use all bittersweet (reciped calls for unsweetened too)? Thanks for the heads up on the sauce. I'm attempting to make my very first "fancy" meal complete with sauces, pommes anna, these cakes, and of course, lots of wine!

[jfood]

the recipe for the one jfood made uses bittersweet only, no unsweetened

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[cjc519]

Oops! Never mind, Jfood. I just reread the recipe and it's the sauce that calls for the two kinds of chocolate, not the cake.

[soypower]

or you could put the three eggs and 3 yolks in a measuring cup and then halve that...use the other half for an omelet...:o)

[MMRuth]

I believe that you can also freeze them, uncooked, if you wanted to just make the whole batch. I'd be inclined to do 2 eggs, but remove just a little bit of them before adding - I do that occasionally.

[AlaskaChick]

I find that in many cases, the extra 1/2 egg or 1/2 yolk doesn't make a difference so I'd use 2 large eggs and 2 large yolks. However, you can also use use 2 medium eggs and 2 medium yolks.

[DGresh]

I tend to agree with AlaskaChick that it's not that critical, but if you're worried, then you can lightly beat the 2 eggs and 2 yolks (so they are liquid), put them in a measuring cup, and take out 1/4 of the liquid (to end up with 1.5 of each instead of 2). But it's probably not necessary.