Baked Hot Chocolate right out of the oven.

Baked Hot Chocolate served with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

I love the holidays filled with fun, festivity, and food. It’s a time when I have an excuse to cook for friends and family. What better way to add some fun and festivity to your holiday meals than to make your dessert out of chocolate.

This quick and easy dessert is both decadent and delicious. Although you bake these in individual mugs it is not really baked hot chocolate and I can’t help but like the play on words for this dessert. Part very moist brownie, part pudding, this is one of the most amazing dessert concoctions I have ever created. They are relatively quick, very easy, and extremely rich – the most perfect way to end just about any meal.

This recipe will make four desserts.

Ingredients

9 ounces high-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 large eggs
¼ cup granulated sugar

Lightly sweetened whipped cream, to taste (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange four 1-cup ovenproof coffee cups, mugs or 8-ounce ramekins in a baking or roasting pan.

Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler set over barely simmering water. Whisk occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.

Stir eggs and sugar together in a mixing bowl, then set bowl over simmering water. Stir until warm to the touch.

Remove from heat. Beat egg mixture with an electric beater until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Gently fold egg mixture into chocolate mixture.

Spoon batter into cups. Add enough very hot water to baking pan to come halfway up sides of cups. Bake until the tops lose their glossy finish, 15-20 minutes. Carefully remove cups from pan.

Serve warm or at room temperature with a generous dollop of whipped cream, if desired. Puddings may be refrigerated for up to one day. To reheat, bring them to room temperature and then set in a 350-degree oven until warm, about 5 minutes.