Chocolate Cobbler

There are few things on earth Ladd loves more than a rich, fudgy chocolate dessert, which means this old-fashioned chocolate cobbler is right up his alley.

This is one of those cobbler recipes you're just going to have to trust me on. The method is what some people might call odd... unconventional... never-in-a-million-years-going-to-work. But stay with me for a second.

You start by dropping butter into your baking dish and melting it in the oven as it preheats. Then you mix up a simple chocolate batter, spoon it right into the melted butter, and scatter semisweet chocolate chunks over the top. Now brace yourself, because this is where things get weird: Next comes a layer of sugar, followed by a dusting of cocoa powder. And then—hold on for dear life—you pour boiling water over the whole thing.

Pop it into the oven without stirring (I mean it!), and about 45 minutes later, you’ll be rewarded with one of the most decadent chocolate desserts imaginable. As it bakes, a light, delicate chocolate crust forms on top, and underneath it all is a smooth, thick chocolate sauce—sort of like a pudding cake or chocolate lava cake. Serve it hot with a scoop of ice cream: It’s absolutely dreamy.

Why do you pour boiling water over chocolate cobbler batter?

The boiling water does a few important things. First, it blooms the cocoa powder, helping give the cobbler a richer, deeper chocolate flavor. Second, it’s the secret to the cobbler’s saucy bottom. As the cobbler bakes, the liquid sinks to the bottom while the batter rises, creating a cakey top with a thick, fudgy chocolate sauce underneath.

Can you make chocolate cobbler ahead of time?

Chocolate cobbler is at its very best soon after baking (when the top has a light crust and there’s a thick chocolate sauce underneath), so it's not the kind of dessert you want to make in advance.

That said, you can definitely store leftover cobbler and reheat it. Wait until the dessert has completely cooled, then cover it tightly with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for up to three days. Reheat individual portions in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds, or reheat the entire dish, loosely covered with foil, in a 325-degree Fahrenheit oven for 10 to 15 minutes.