Boca Negra Chocolate Chipotle Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
• cut into small pieces
• plus additional for greasing ramekins
• 1 cup sugar plus additional for dusting
• 6 medium dried chipotle chiles* (1 ounce)
• 6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
• 10 oz Valrhona semisweet chocolate (56%) or fine-quality bittersweet chocolate
• finely chopped
• 4 large eggs
• 4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Special equipment: 8 (4-oz) ramekins
• Accompaniments: sweet tomatillo sauce ; vanilla custard sauce

Instructions

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325F.
2. Butter ramekins and dust with sugar, knocking out excess.
3. Toast chiles in a dry heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Discard stems, seeds, and ribs, then soak chiles in hot water to cover until softened, about 30 minutes.
5. Drain, reserving soaking liquid.
6. Puree chiles in a mini food processor or a blender, adding 2 to 3 tablespoons soaking liquid as needed to form a paste.
7. Force paste through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard solids.
8. Set aside 1 1/2 tablespoons chile paste and freeze remainder for another use.
9. Bring juice and 1 cup sugar to a boil in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
10. Pour hot syrup over chocolate in a large bowl, stirring until chocolate is melted.
11. Add butter and stir until melted.
12. Add eggs 1 at a time, whisking after each addition, then stir in chile paste, flour, and salt.
13. Divide among ramekins and bake in hot water bath , uncovered, until just firm and top is starting to crust, 50 to 60 minutes.
14. Transfer ramekins with tongs to a work surface and let stand 2 minutes.
15. Unmold warm cakes directly onto dessert plates (they will be difficult to move once they adhere).
16. *Available at Mexican markets, many supermarkets, and Chile TodayHot Tamale (800-468-7377).