Dark Chocolate Lava Cake with Malted Vanilla Bean Ice Cream & Fleur de Sel Caramel

Make the custard base. In the 5 qt Winco Dutch oven, warm the heavy cream, whole milk, scraped vanilla caviar plus the pod, and malted milk powder over medium until steaming and the malt fully dissolves — do not boil. Kill the heat, cover, and steep 10 minutes.

Whisk the ice cream egg yolks, granulated sugar, and pinch of fine salt until pale. Temper: ladle a little hot cream into the yolks while whisking, then return everything to the Dutch oven. Cook over low, stirring constantly with a spatula, until it reaches 180F on an instant-read and coats the back of the spoon (nappe). Pull the moment it hits 180F.

Immediately strain the custard through a fine sieve into a bowl set over an ice bath; discard the pod. Stir until it stops steaming, then press plastic to the surface and chill fully, at least 2 hours or overnight.

Churn the chilled custard in an ice cream machine per its instructions, then freeze 2+ hours to firm. No machine: freeze in a shallow pan, forking vigorously every 30–40 min over ~4 hours until smooth.

Butter four ramekins generously with softened butter, dust with granulated sugar, tap out the excess, and chill them. This sugar coat is what releases the cakes cleanly and gives a fine crust.

Melt the chopped chocolate and cake butter together in the Breville set to ~200F, or over a double boiler, stirring until glossy and smooth. Cool to just barely warm.

Whisk the whole eggs, egg yolks, and cake sugar to the ribbon stage — pale, thickened, falling in a ribbon that holds a second on the surface.

Fold the melted chocolate into the egg ribbon in two additions, staying airy. Sift the flour and pinch of salt over the top and fold just until no streaks remain. Divide evenly among the chilled ramekins.

Chill the filled ramekins at least 1 hour, up to overnight. Pull the ice cream to the counter 5 minutes before plating so it quenelles cleanly.

Heat the Breville (or oven) to 400F with a half sheet pan inside. Set the cold ramekins on the preheated sheet and bake 12–14 minutes: edges set and puffed, the very center still jiggling. Rest 1 minute before unmolding.

While the cakes bake, make the caramel. Add the caramel sugar in an even layer to the 8-inch Snowclad skillet over medium. Let it melt undisturbed, swirling the pan (never stir), until clean copper-amber. Pull it OFF the heat the instant it hits amber. Caution: molten sugar exceeds 340F — never taste or touch it.

Off the heat and at arm's length, whisk the cubed butter into the caramel — it will bubble hard. Then whisk in the warmed cream and a big pinch of fleur de sel until silky. If it seizes, return to low heat and whisk smooth. Keep warm and pourable.

Taste the caramel — it should be bittersweet and salty enough to cut the chocolate. Adjust with another pinch of fleur de sel if flat.

To plate: pool warm caramel in the center of each plate. Run a knife around each ramekin and invert the cake onto the caramel. Quenelle the malted vanilla ice cream alongside.

Finish each plate with a grind of fleur de sel over the cake and a whisper of Graza finishing oil around the caramel. Serve immediately while the center is molten.