How Nico Norena Upgrades A Lava Cake In One Simple Step - Exclusive
Just because Valentine's Day is over doesn't mean that lava cake season has come to an end. It's a common mistake to interchange a chocolate lava cake with a molten cake, so let's get those definitions straight before going any further. A lava cake has that ooey-gooey center that resembles liquid chocolate, while a molten cake can be compared to a mixture of a soufflé and a chocolate cake.
Classic lava cakes are one of the most standard delicious desserts on restaurant menus but are surprisingly hard to perfect in the kitchen. In fact, Nico Norena, known as The Succulent Bite on social media, has a simple trick that makes the popular sweet go from good to great. "Lava cakes are best served with ice cream, but here's a twist: Use an ice cream bar, like a Magnum brand ice cream bar that you buy at the store," Nico Norena told Tasting Table in an exclusive interview ahead of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival.
All you need is a little ice cream
Nico Norena has created his food business based upon decadent and out-of-the-box dessert recipes, so of course we have to try out his ice cream bar and lava cake tip. The TikToker explained that the Magnum "ice cream bar is covered in chocolate — stick it right in the middle, and you'll have that oozing effect." Just sprinkle some powdered sugar on top, and you'll have not only an Instagram-worthy plate presentation but also a much more satisfied sweet tooth.
If you aren't the biggest fan of ice cream — which we couldn't fathom, but to each their own — then Norena has another naturally sugared option for you. A blackberry reduction sauce could be a great addition to a lava cake that can be paired with or without the ice cream bar. "It's basically sugar, blackberries, maybe a little bit of lime juice, and a touch of water," Norena detailed. All you have to do is "mash it all up and let it simmer and reduce and strain it." Then, voila! You have a sauce that makes it seem like you're eating fruit for dessert.
Learn more about the South Beach Wine & Food Festival on its website. Keep up with Nico Norena's latest recipes on his TikTok page.