Hot Brownie Cups

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• confectioners sugar and whipped cream (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 6 ovenproof custard cups or ramekins with a nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Place cups on a baking pan and set aside.
2. In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat, stirring with a wire whisk, until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in egg yolks and cocoa powder until well blended. Stir in four until well blended and set aside.
3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar until stiff peaks form. Stir about 1/2 cup beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture until blended then gently fold the chocolate mixture into the remaining beaten whites just until no white streaks remain.
4. Divide the mixture evenly among the ovenproof cups on the baking pan.
5. Bake just until chocolate mixture is firm, about 20 minutes. If desired, sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and serve with whipped cream.