Why Are They Called Lava Cookies?

How do certain foods get their names?  Consider Toad in the Hole, a British concoction featuring sausages baked in a flour-egg batter that puffs up in the oven.  Could it be named after the character Toad in “Toad of Toad Hall,” a play written by A.A. Milne of “Winnie the Pooh” fame?

Then there’s another British dish called Bubble and Squeak, made of leftover potatoes and cabbage or Brussels sprouts. It’s named after the way the food sounds when it’s cooking.

Take one look at Lava Cookies, and with their cracks and craters, and it’s quite obvious where the name comes from—hardened lava.  Luckily they don’t taste like they popped out of a volcano.

Lava Cookies – makes about 36 cookies (adapted from “Chocolate on the Brain”)  

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate
6 tablespoons butter + more for greasing
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose four
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar 

Melt the chocolate and butter in a small heavy pan over very low heat, stirring constantly.  When the chocolate is almost melted, turn off the heat.  Set aside to cool.  The heat of the pot will melt the remaining chocolate. 

Put the sugar, eggs and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor or large bowl.  Process or beat with an electric mixer until pale yellow and frothy.  Add the chocolate mixture and process, or beat on low speed for about 15 seconds, until thoroughly mixed.  Add the flour, baking powder and salt and pulse for about 10 seconds, or beat on low speed until just blended.  Cover the bowl and place it in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Place an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease 2 baking sheets or use nonstick sheets. 

Spread the powdered sugar on a large plate.  Set aside, 

Remove the cookie dough from the freezer.  Using a teaspoon, shape the dough into 1-inch balls.  Roll in the powdered sugar and place them on the baking sheets, 3 cookies per row in 4 rows.  Bake each batch, 1 sheet at a time, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the top of the cookies are almost firm.  There will be brown and white areas that look like a bed of lava. 

Remove from the oven and cool on the sheet for about 3 minutes.  Then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.  Let the baking sheet cool for several minutes before reusing so the dough doesn’t melt. 

Store cookies in an airtight container.

                  For easy recipes, order "Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen!"