Chocolate Fondant for Two

All I need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!

Lucy, Peanuts (Charles M. Schulz)

With Valentine's Day coming up, you might be looking for a special dessert to prepare for you and your loved one. A chocolate fondant is a perfect dessert to complete a romantic dinner for two. So boys, listen up! If you really want to show your lady how much you care for her, go the extra mile and surprise her with this decadent dessert. I guarantee it will melt her heart (but I would encourage you to practise making this at least once before the special day).

These puddings are just cooked enough to form an outer crust, and inside the pudding is warm, luxurious chocolate goodness... all gooey and oozey.. Mmmmm...

This recipe comes from Gordon Ramsay and can be prepared ahead of time - simply keep it in the fridge and put it in the oven when you're ready. Although Mr Ramsay is not my favourite celebrity chef, I must say that this is an excellent recipe. I think this is also a recipe that one could be creative with and come up with some interesting variations. For example, you could add a splash of liquer such as Baileys, or maybe some orange zest.

Ingredients

50 g unsalted butter, plus extra to grease

2 tsp cocoa powder

50 g dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa)

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1/3 c caster sugar

1/3 c plain flour

To serve - icing sugar, vanilla ice cream and strawberries (optional)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees celcius.

2. Butter 2 dariol moulds/ramekins (I used 100ml capacity dariol moulds) and then place in fridge for 5 minutes. Remove then butter a second time, this time using a pastry brush and brushing upwards and outwards. Dust liberally with cocoa powder and shake out any excess.

3. Slowly melt the chocolate and butter in a small bowl set over a pan of hot water, then take off the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

4. Using an electric whisk, whisk the egg, whole egg and sugar until pale and thick, then incorporate the chocolate mixture.

5. Sift the flour over the mixture and gently fold in.

6. Divide the mixture between the ramekins/moulds leaving a 1cm space at the top for the mixture to rise. Bake for 10 minutes, or until a crust forms on top of the fondant.

7. Turn the fondants out onto plates and dust with icing sugar. Serve with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream and a few berries.

Tips

• If you can't find dariol moulds, use ramekins instead. Ramekins are available in a variety of sizes, but I think 100ml (as I used) makes a perfect size.
• This recipe makes enough to fill two 150 ml moulds/ramekins if you wish, but be sure to cook for a little longer in this case - about 12 minutes.
   

Enjoy :)

Ladybird x