Lime White Chocolate Almond Cakes with Sunken Raspberries

Although I have been following the Royal Foodie Joust for the past few months, I keep missing the boat to participate. This challenging event is the creation of Jenn the Leftover Queen and is celebrating it's 12th edition this month. Each month the previous month's winner chooses three ingredients and those that want to brave participation can create and post a recipe to be voted on by other food bloggers.

If you still haven't checked out Jenn's Forum, you really should - she is also the creator of the Foodie Blogroll. To be included on the Foodie Blogroll or participate in the Royal Foodie Joust yourself - or to be able to vote for your favorite creation - you'll need to be a member of the Forum - so check it out. It is a seriously fun place and I'm sure you'll see some familiar faces there!

When this month's ingredients came around, I knew that this time I was going to have to participate. You see, I've been obsessing over a certain flavor combination for the past three months for a project I am still trying to perfect. The project itself keeps on flopping in function, but tastes insanely good - I haven't given up on it yet, but in the meantime...

So, here I am faced with the ingredients for this month - raspberry, lime and almond. Raspberry-Lime is the combination I've been crazy about, so I decided to try to make something that added in the almond as well. This flavor combination was chosen by last month's winner, Elle of Elle's New England Kitchen.

These cakes are made in the same style as a molten cake, but the almond meal and flour bakes into more of a custard / souffle type of texture instead of staying molten in the center. The result, with the raspberries "sunken" into the batter is a warm, lime white chocolate cake with a hint of almond flavor and a raspberry surprise. The flavors blend and work together beautifully.

Lime White Chocolate Almond Cakes with Sunken Raspberries
MAKES FOUR 6-OUNCE CAKES
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
6 ounces white chocolate
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
zest of 2 limes
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 tablespoons almond meal
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 teaspoons of Raspberry Lime Sauce (recipe below), plus more for garnish
lime zest to garnish

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Butter and lightly flour four 6-ounce ramekins. Tap out the excess flour. Set the ramekins on a baking sheet.

In a double boiler, over simmering water, melt the butter with the chocolate. In a small bowl rub together the sugar and the lime zest until moist and fragrant.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the egg yolks, sugar and zest, and salt at high speed until thickened and pale. Whisk the chocolate until smooth. Quickly fold it into the egg mixture along with the flour and almond meal.

Spoon the batter into the prepared ramekins and place one teaspoon of the raspberry sauce into the center of the batter - do not stir. Bake for 13 minutes, or until the sides of the cakes are firm but the centers are still slightly soft. Let the cakes cool in the ramekins for 1 minute, then cover each with an inverted dessert plate. Carefully turn each one over, let stand for 10 seconds and then unmold. The cakes will sink. Garnish with Raspberry Lime Sauce and lime zest. Serve immediately.

Raspberry Lime Sauce
1 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
2 tablespoon sugar
juice of 1 lime, or to taste
1/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and stir gently over medium heat to bring just to a gentle simmer.