Molten Chocolate Mini Cakes--Worry About "Raw" Center?

[AZPampered Chef]

OK, I just recently got the silicone floral pan and couldn't wait to try out the molten mini cake recipe. I made a batch, they turned out great, but a few friends that sampled them were worried because the middle was not cooked completely. I guess they are worried about Salmonella. I googled Salmonella and cake batter but the results were mainly about a recall that Cold Stone Creamery had of its cake batter ice cream.

So it makes me wonder, too, if it's ok to eat these if they have been left out for a day or so? The last thing I want to do is poison anyone! :yuck:

 

[c00p]

I've not tried these, but it reminds me of the microwave cake - that people think it's raw, but it's the icing that is gooey, not the cake batter itself.

 

[PCMelissa]

No, these it really is the batter that is raw. I don't know what to think about this. I guess that even though it does not completely set that it bakes enough to take out the concern of samonela. I will be curious to see other responses.

 

[c00p]

ooohhhh....I'd email the test kitchens then if I were you. Surely they'd have an answer for you.

 

[baychef]

Ok...just a guess, but I am thinking that the internal temperature may be hot enought to kill any samonella. Lava cakes have been around for years and I truly think that if they were not safe to eat...they would be banned or have a recall LOL!! (I deal in food service and just since January there has been green beans - only institutional size, ground beef and now cataloupe).
Again...the test kitchens should be able to answer this, and I am only guessing.

 

[AZPampered Chef]

OK, I just emailed the test kitchen and I will post their answer here. I'm not really worried about the safety of the cakes because I agree that if they weren't safe they would have been banned or recalled or at least annotated. I mainly want to know what to tell people if it comes up, because I love this recipe and want to start using it for my second recipe at my shows.

 

[cathyskitchen]

They're similar to a chocolate souffle - I've actually made a real souffle recipe (got it from the restaurant "Roy's" in Phila - they have them all over, and we tried our first souffle in HI on our honeymoon at a Roy's there - had to go again for our 10th anniv.!). Link: Roy's Restaurant - Hawaiian Fusion CuisineAnyway, I think that it's probably OK and that the internal temp. makes it fine to eat. Looking forward to seeing what the Test Kitchens say!

 

[mpayton]

I don't know about if the salmonella could be in the lava cake, but if you are worried about it, use pasteurized eggs. I use them when I make home made ice cream. Michelle

 

[Stephaniecafe]

salmonella dies at 150 degrees, protein gelatinizes at 170-175... what you have it this batter is right in between bacteria death and hardening batter. It should be okay... But please do refrigerate any uneaten cakes, as there is protein at room temperature that will start to grow oogie boogies if left out for mor than a couple of hours-- as with any protein... cooked meats, eggs, even cooked pastas and rice... just because it was cooked doesn't make it safe to leave out overnight and eat.

 

[SummerG]

They're similar to a chocolate souffle - I've actually made a real souffle recipe (got it from the restaurant "Roy's" in Phila - they have them all over, and we tried our first souffle in HI on our honeymoon at a Roy's there - had to go again for our 10th anniv.!). Link: Roy's Restaurant - Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine

Anyway, I think that it's probably OK and that the internal temp. makes it fine to eat. Looking forward to seeing what the Test Kitchens say!

The chocolate souffle from Roy's is the best in the WORLD! There is a Roy's in Guam (where I used to live) and now that I live in San Antonio the closest one is in Austin. The souffle is worth the trip alone. I kid you not.

Now this preggo girl is wanting a souffle! Won't be driving to Austin though since my due date was yesterday! :chef:

 

[baychef]

salmonella dies at 150 degrees, protein gelatinizes at 170-175... what you have it this batter is right in between bacteria death and hardening batter. It should be okay... But please do refrigerate any uneaten cakes, as there is protein at room temperature that will start to grow oogie boogies if left out for mor than a couple of hours-- as with any protein... cooked meats, eggs, even cooked pastas and rice... just because it was cooked doesn't make it safe to leave out overnight and eat.

It is not safe to leave any of these foods out for ANY amount of time. Refrigerate immediately. The temperatures for bacterial growth are between 45 and 140 degrees. The faster food is taken through these temps, the safer it is. Make sure foods are not real thick...they DO NOT have to reach room temp before you put them in the refrigerator. I ask my food service workers to throw out all rice at the end of the day. It hold temperatures far too long (as do mashed potatoes, oatmeal, etc.) If you do a four hour temping of the thickest part of the food, you will find temps drop rapidly in the first hour, fairly good at the end of 2, the slow to a snail pace at 3 and drop only a few degrees at the 4 hour mark. Bacteria, viral and mold growth are loving life and growing when in the "danger zone" 45 to 140.

Ok, I will quick barfing food safety. I have taught it and have it has been my daily life for most of my life!! (I know...it IS and exciting life I have!! )

 

[AZPampered Chef]

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

This is the reply I received from the test kitchen:

Jennifer,

As long as the center is at least 160F there will be no risk of
Salmonella as it does not live at temperatures above 160F.


Hope this information helps,

The Pampered Chef Test Kitchen
[email protected]

 

[finley1991]

My guess on this is that PC wouldn't give us a recipe to use that could potentially cause harm to people's health.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

It is not safe to leave any of these foods out for ANY amount of time. Refrigerate immediately. The temperatures for bacterial growth are between 45 and 140 degrees. The faster food is taken through these temps, the safer it is. Make sure foods are not real thick...they DO NOT have to reach room temp before you put them in the refrigerator. I ask my food service workers to throw out all rice at the end of the day. It hold temperatures far too long (as do mashed potatoes, oatmeal, etc.) If you do a four hour temping of the thickest part of the food, you will find temps drop rapidly in the first hour, fairly good at the end of 2, the slow to a snail pace at 3 and drop only a few degrees at the 4 hour mark. Bacteria, viral and mold growth are loving life and growing when in the "danger zone" 45 to 140.

Ok, I will quick barfing food safety. I have taught it and have it has been my daily life for most of my life!! (I know...it IS and exciting life I have!! )

Ohhhhh Ann, I just love it when you talk mold growth!

 

[cathyskitchen]

The chocolate souffle from Roy's is the best in the WORLD! There is a Roy's in Guam (where I used to live) and now that I live in San Antonio the closest one is in Austin. The souffle is worth the trip alone. I kid you not.

Now this preggo girl is wanting a souffle! Won't be driving to Austin though since my due date was yesterday! :chef:

Oh, wow! Good luck w/L&D!! Hey, you don't have to drive there - I have the recipe and it's EASY! Here you go:

Roy's Chocolate Souffle:

8 oz. semi sweet dark chocolate (make sure to use a good quality)
12 tbsp. butter
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp. cornstarch
4 eggs plus 4 egg yolks

In a mixing bowl combine sugar and cornstarch. Have eggs and yolks mixed together in a separate bowl. In a saucepan bring butter to a simmer. Add chocolate and mix until smooth. Continue to mix until chocolate begins to simmer along the edges. Add the chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix until combined. Add eggs and mix at low speed until mixture is smooth and sugar is dissolved. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate overnight.

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line each metal ring with a strip of parchment paper and spray with pan release. Place ring on a square of parchment paper then onto a baking sheet. Fill the ring 2/3rds with the filling. Bake for 28-30 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and while holding each mold with tongs, slide a metal spatula underneath and transfer to a plate. Gently lift off the mold and remove the parchment paper. Serve immediately with ice cream. SERVES 4

I found rings at a local kitchen store - it PAINED me to buy kitchen products at a store, but I had to make these for our anniversary one year, and I wanted them to be perfect! I think they need to be 3 inches in diameter (or close to that).

 

[Stephaniecafe]

It is not safe to leave any of these foods out for ANY amount of time. Refrigerate immediately. The temperatures for bacterial growth are between 45 and 140 degrees. The faster food is taken through these temps, the safer it is. Make sure foods are not real thick...they DO NOT have to reach room temp before you put them in the refrigerator. I ask my food service workers to throw out all rice at the end of the day. It hold temperatures far too long (as do mashed potatoes, oatmeal, etc.) If you do a four hour temping of the thickest part of the food, you will find temps drop rapidly in the first hour, fairly good at the end of 2, the slow to a snail pace at 3 and drop only a few degrees at the 4 hour mark. Bacteria, viral and mold growth are loving life and growing when in the "danger zone" 45 to 140.

Ok, I will quick barfing food safety. I have taught it and have it has been my daily life for most of my life!! (I know...it IS and exciting life I have!! )

Yea, I'm with you... what I was getting at is that for the general population who hasn't had any FBI(food born illness) training, there seems to be a misconception that if it is left out at room temperature two or three hours and then refrigerated it is okay to eat. My thought is if at the end of the show there are cakes left to ice them as soon as possible, unless it has been a couple hours. My personal rule is if it has been more than an hour and a half it goes in the trash. Especially if it has a custard center like this. I've been to bakeries who have doughnuts with custard centers just sitting out all day and I wonder how they haven't killed anyone with the junk growing in those things. My thought is if it is above 150 there is not a chance that bacteria will be growing... I just like to be extra careful. Serve them hot, and then chill what is left over. Hope that clearifies it. I am all about the food safety too. I agree totally!!

 

[baychef]

Yea, I'm with you... what I was getting at is that for the general population who hasn't had any FBI(food born illness) training, there seems to be a misconception that if it is left out at room temperature two or three hours and then refrigerated it is okay to eat. My thought is if at the end of the show there are cakes left to ice them as soon as possible, unless it has been a couple hours. My personal rule is if it has been more than an hour and a half it goes in the trash. Especially if it has a custard center like this. I've been to bakeries who have doughnuts with custard centers just sitting out all day and I wonder how they haven't killed anyone with the junk growing in those things. My thought is if it is above 150 there is not a chance that bacteria will be growing... I just like to be extra careful. Serve them hot, and then chill what is left over. Hope that clearifies it. I am all about the food safety too. I agree totally!!

I always tell my employees that what they do at home is their business but when they step into the kichen here...it is NOT home, it is their profession. After they take a few food safety classes...they decide that maybe it's ok to do at home too!!

And Chef Becky...I will talk viruses and molds with you to ANY TIME!!! I just cringe when I hear people that dumpster dive...I have 45 cases of green beans that have to be discarded because there may have been botulism when they were processed...a dumpster diver would think that this is a find, but it may be the last green bean they eat!!:yuck: