Smoked Lava Cheese Buns: On Being Forged in Fire

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When we think of the archetype of Mother Nature, we picture lush greenness and rolling hills, everything soft and verdant. But you only have to picture a volcano erupting in a lava flow to know that the “blood” of the earth is hot and transformative, the “heart” molten and deadly. Similarly, when I think of “growth,” I usually picture a plant sprouting from a seed, growing gently but steadily upwards to maturity. And while that kind of growth certainly exists in our lives, it’s not the only way. 

Change can be the steadfast determination and resourcefulness of a dandelion coming up through a sidewalk crack. It can be the complete surrender of a caterpillar turning to goo in its metamorphosis. It can be the overwhelming, burning, passionate explosion of a volcano - complete destruction of what once was to build something new and beautiful. 

Lava, when hot, is burning potential. It’s fiery and destructive but eerily enchanting, not yet rock but certainly nothing like water in the way that it moves and flows, the surface crusting over with blackness upon exposure to cooling air, the interior bright and molten. Once it hardens it looks otherworldly; often full of veins of sparkling crystals or other wonders. Given time to soften and weather, it becomes incredibly fertile soil, particularly known for producing amazing wine grapes (and if those aren’t a symbol of fertility, I don’t know what is!) 

I grew up on the Idaho Batholith, one of the largest batholith complexes in the world. Lava didn’t flow freely over this landscape; instead, molten rock flowed into the earth’s crust and solidified during the last age of the dinosaurs, millions and millions of years ago. Over time, the region was uplifted and the overlying rock eroded away, exposing the strong bones of our modern landscape. If I sit, close my eyes, and focus, I can send my energy down into my feet, down past the topsoil, down into the hardened stone. It feels strong and stable, even when I do not. It reminds me that this world is full of wonder and possibility. 

In a culture where women especially are still taught to be demure, quiet, to not cause a scene or make a fuss, lava can be an empowering embodiment of the Goddess archetype, tied to ancient stories of creation or destruction the world over. From the well-known and powerful Pele of Hawaiian mythology, to Lalahon and Darago of Philippine mythology, Agischanak of Tlingit peoples in now-Alaska, to Feronia of ancient Rome, Masaya of Nicaragua and finally Sengen-Sama of Japan’s Mount Fuji, these ancient volcano goddesses represent the power of the Earth in its feminine form and the duality of destruction and creation.

As a symbol, lava itself is certainly versatile. Lava is power, destruction, chaos, volatility! Lava is surrender, transformation, mesmerizing, magic. Lava is hidden gems and new landscapes. And, eventually, lava is fertility, strength, rebirth, creation. 

Are you in a period of intense change right now? Do you relate more with the steadiness of the sprout, the surrender of the caterpillar, or the intensity of lava? Perhaps all of these speak to you. Perhaps none of them do. Just trust that all will end in beauty, and you, too, will survive this tumultuous time in your own life. If you’re feeling stuck, maybe it’s time to visualize the powerful transformative energy of lava and feel a little of that fire in your own veins. Lava is the heart of the Earth. In Chinese medicine, the heart is associated with the element of fire, which brings to mind the passion associated with both. If the change you are facing is a matter of the heart, perhaps the symbolism of lava could bring you strength and courage. In any case, these satisfying lava buns full of melted cheese are some pretty good comfort food, and are my offering to you to remind you of the multitudes you contain. 

Smoked Lava Cheese Buns

If you’ve ever looked at a photo or video of molten lava floes and started salivating, you are not alone. The compulsion to eat lava is surprisingly common, at least according to the hundreds of comments that came pouring in when I asked my online community “what non-food substance do you crave eating the most?” The lava enthusiasts were loud and assured in their desire to sample something that would surely burn their face right off. 

So, step one, what would lava taste like? According to this hilarious satire article, lava would taste like gooey, stringy, slightly charred melted cheese. I can get behind that. In my mind, it would be a little bit spicy, too, with a pleasant smoky flavor. While ladling you up a bowl of molten hot lava is a bit beyond my abilities (and would surely burn right through the bowl, table, floor, and who knows what else), I can offer you the next best thing: hearty buns that look like a lava flow cooling and forming a charred, crackling crust. When you tear one open, you’ll be rewarded with silky molten cheese evocative of lava fresh from the earth. Make sure to plan ahead to allow your lava cheese time to set up before you bake your buns! The secret ingredients in these tasty buns are smoked paprika, and homemade alder-smoked salt that I made from gathering alder branches and slow-smoking pans of sea salt over them at low heat until the salt was colored richly brown and infused with smoky flavor. 

Lava Cheese: 

1 c. heavy whipping cream 

2 c. freshly-grated yellow cheddar cheese

¼ tsp. Smoked paprika

1 Tbs. cornstarch 

Directions: 

1. Add the heavy cream to a medium, thick-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Once it starts to get warm, add the rest of the ingredients. 

2. Whisk until everything has melted together and the mixture is thick and creamy (about 5 minutes.) 

3. Pour into a buttered dish and let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until set, at least a couple of hours or overnight. 

Glowing Coals Buns: makes 8-10

1 ½ c. roasted red bell peppers, patted dry and chopped

1 Tbs.  active dry yeast

2 Tbs. tepid water

1 tsp. sugar

⅓ c. whole milk 

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1 ½ tsp. Smoked alder salt

2 tsp. orange zest 

4-5 c. all-purpose flour

1 Tbs. smoked paprika 

Lava Cracks Topping: 

1 Tbs. active dry yeast

1/2 c. warm water

1 Tbs. sugar

1 Tbs. vegetable oil 

½ tsp. Smoked alder salt

3/4 c. rice flour

1 Tbs. activated charcoal 

Directions: 

1. Start with the buns themselves: in a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water and let sit for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, puree the roasted red bell peppers in a food processor until completely smooth. 

2. Warm the whole milk until tepid, then add it to the bowl with the yeast. Add the red peppers, sugar, oil, salt, orange zest, paprika, and half of the flour. Beat until smooth.

3. Knead in enough flour to form a firm dough, then knead until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature until doubled, which should take about an hour. 

4. Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 8-10 equal portions. 

5. Take the lava cheese out of the fridge and roll into 8-10 balls. Keeping the rest of them covered as you work, roll each portion of dough into a ball, then flatten into a disc. Place the cheese cube in the middle and pinch the dough up around it, using a little water on your fingers to ensure a good seam on the bottom. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. 

6. Once all of the buns have been formed, let them rest for 15 minutes while you prepare the topping. 

7. To make the topping, combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and beat hard with a whisk to combine. Your mixture should resemble stiff royal icing. Let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375F. 

8. Very gently coat the top of each roll with a thick layer of the topping. (It’s easiest to just use your fingers to do this.) Let the rolls stand for another 10 minutes, uncovered.  

9. Bake for 16-20 minutes, or until the bottom sounds hollow when you tap it and is lightly browned.  

10. Let cool slightly before diving in- that cheese will be hot!

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