The connection between chocolate and Valentine's Day is a fairly recent one by historical standards. According to The Royal Examiner, "It was only in 1861 that an inspired candy-maker named Richard Cadbury thought to sell chocolates for Valentine's Day. He packaged them in heart-shaped boxes decorated with rosebuds and Cupids, which were already popular symbols of romance among the Victorians. Thus, a new Valentine's Day tradition was born. Today, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates are ubiquitous around Valentine's Day, and in North America, more than 58 million pounds of chocolate are bought to celebrate the occasion each year."
Here in La Jolla, we prefer to melt that chocolate into something warm, creamy, decadent, and worth sharing with your loved one. We call it Half-Baked Chocolate Cake, and it is something we have been serving at our NINE-TEN Restaurant, located at the Grande Colonial hotel, since opening our doors back in July of 2021. We've served thousands of them over the years, and this Valentine's Day will be no exception. So we're happy to share with our fans the recipe for this infamous sweet treat that has been wooing our foodie fans for more than two decades!

Half-Baked Chocolate Cake
Pastry Chef Jose Alonzo III
Serves 8 (4 oz. portions)
INGREDIENTS:
- 2½ Sticks (10 oz) Unsalted Butter
- 9¼ oz Good Quality Dark Chocolate
- 2 Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
- 5 Whole Eggs
- 5 Egg Yolks
- ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
Melt butter in large saucepan, pour in the chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Add flour and whisk until there are no lumps. Combine eggs, yolks, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk on low speed for 3 minutes and then add the chocolate/butter mixture. Mix until smooth and all is combined. Pour in buttered and sugared ramekins and bake at 350°F for 10 minutes or until almost fully baked. There will be a wet spot in the middle. Serve hot with vanilla bean ice cream, whipping cream, gooey caramel, or cherry gelato.