Instructions: Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter and flour eight 6-ounce ramekins. Tap out excess flour and position ramekins on a shallow roasting pan, or baking sheet.

Meanwhile melt 8 tablespoons butter and chocolates in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost simmering water, stirring once or twice until smooth; remove from heat.

Beat eggs, yolk, vanilla, salt, and sugar at highest speed in a bowl of a standing mixer with the whisk attachment until volume almost triples, color is very light, and mixture drops from beaters in a smooth, thick stream, about 5 minutes. (Alternatively beat for 10 minutes using a handheld electric mixer and a large mixing bowl.)

Scrape egg mixture over melted chocolate and butter; sprinkle flour over egg mixture. Gently fold egg and flour into chocolate until mixture is uniformly colored. Ladle or pour batter into prepared ramekins. (Can be covered lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 8 hours, return to room temperature before baking).

Bake until the cakes have puffed about 1/2 inch above rims of ramekins, have a thin crust on top, and jiggle slightly at center when ramekins are shaken very gently; 12 to 13 minutes. Run a paring knife around inside edges of ramekins to loosen cakes and invert onto serving plates.

Cool for 1 minute and lift off ramekins. Serve sprinkled with powdered sugar, whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

This recipe yields 8 servings.

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