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1
Preheat oven to 400F Lightly grease and flour six 1- to 1 1/4-cup souffle dishes or six 10-ounce custard cups.
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2
Place souffle dishes or custard cups in a shallow baking pan and set pan aside.
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3
In a heavy small saucepan melt butter and semisweet chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly.
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4
Remove from heat and cool.
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5
Meanwhile, prepare Praline Sauce; cover and keep warm until needed.
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6
In a large mixing bowl beat eggs, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on high speed about 5 minutes or until thick and lemon colored.
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7
Beat in cooled chocolate mixture on medium speed.
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8
Sift flour and cocoa over chocolate mixture; beat on low speed just until combined.
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9
Divide batter evenly into prepared dishes or cups.
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10
Bake 10 minutes.
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11
Pull cakes out of oven.
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12
Using a small spatula or table knife, puncture top of each partially-baked cake and gently enlarge to make a dime-sized hole.
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13
Slowly spoon about 1 tablespoon Praline Sauce into center of each cake.
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14
Return cakes to oven.
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15
Bake 5 minutes more or until cakes feel firm at the edges.
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16
Cool in dishes on a wire rack for 5 minutes.
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17
Using a small spatula or knife, loosen cake edges from sides of dish or cup and slip cake out upright onto individual dessert plates.
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18
Stir 1/3 cup toasted pecan halves into the remaining Praline Sauce.
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19
If necessary, stir 1 to 2 tablespoons hot water into remaining sauce to thin.
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20
Spoon warm Praline Sauce on top of cakes.
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21
Top with pecan halves and sweetened whipped cream.
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22
Serve immediately.
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23
Praline Sauce: In a heavy medium saucepan combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons dark colored corn syrup.
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24
Stir in 1/2 cup whipping cream.
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25
Cook over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar.
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26
Reduce heat.
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27
Cook, uncovered, 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
