What?
The chocolate lover’s ultimate make-ahead dinner party dessert – its molten middle wows a crowd.
How?
We’ve taken all the jeopardy out of the timings by cooking from frozen, and we’ve introduced a few of chocolate’s best partners.
For more chocolate recipe inspiration, check out our collection of chocolate dessert recipes, melted chocolate recipes and dark chocolate recipes.
How to take chocolate fondant to the next level
1. Add salt
This enhances flavour, whether in sweet or savoury dishes. Here, it works particularly well with the chocolate and caramel, turning the filling into the much-loved ‘salted caramel’ flavour combination.
2. Seek dariole moulds
For the best results, seek out dariole moulds. These individual pudding basins are flowerpot-shaped and metal, so they conduct the heat brilliantly while giving you that classic fondant shape.
3. Add espresso
Coffee and chocolate share the same flavour profile, so when you add a hint of coffee to a chocolate recipe, you increase its rich flavours, rather than adding a coffee flavour.
4. Freeze the puddings
Fondants are best cooked from frozen if you want a really melty middle. This also means you can prepare them well in advance.
5. Use a timer
We have tried and tested these fondants to find a timing that helps them hold their shape while still being molten in the middle. Don’t leave it to chance – a timer is essential to get it right.
6. Fill with a caramel centre
To take our fondants to the next level, we’ve filled them with moreish salted caramel – a perfect partner to the light, chocolate fondant.
7. Beat your eggs and sugar together
It’s important to beat the eggs and sugar together really well for a light, spongy fondant.
8. Lightly coat your mould in cocoa powder
As an insurance policy against sticking, we’ve double-buttered the pudding moulds and lightly coated them in cocoa powder, which also gives the fondants a slight cocoa crust.
9. Opt for golden caster sugar
We’ve used golden caster sugar instead of standard white as it brings a light toffee flavour to the fondants.
How to make it
Next level chocolate fondant
Ingredients
- 200g butter, melted
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder, for dusting
- 50g caramel sauce
- 200g dark chocolate, chopped
- 4 tbsp very strong coffee powder (espresso is ideal)
- 6 eggs, three whole, plus the yolks of 3 (freeze the leftover egg whites for another recipe)
- 75g golden caster sugar
- 50g plain flour
You will need
- 6 small metal pudding basins
Method
1. Use 50g of the butter to brush the insides of the pudding basins. Put them on a baking tray and transfer to the fridge to chill until the butter sets. Brush over another layer of the butter, then dust generously with the cocoa. Return to the fridge to set. Mix the caramel sauce with a good pinch of sea salt flakes, then chill in the fridge until ready to use.
2. Tip the remaining butter, the chocolate and coffee powder into a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir the mixture until smooth, adding another small pinch of sea salt. Tip the whole eggs, egg yolks and sugar into another bowl and beat together using an electric whisk until very pale – the whisk should leave a trail in the mixture when lifted. Sift in the flour, then gently fold in the melted chocolate mixture.
3. Spoon the fondant mixture into the prepared basins until just about halfway full, then transfer to the freezer on a baking tray for about 20-25 mins, or until the mixture is just set. Add 1 tsp of the salted caramel sauce to the middle of each fondant, then top up with the remaining fondant mixture. Return to the freezer until frozen. Can be prepared up to two weeks ahead.
4. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the fondants on a baking tray and bake for 15 mins until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the sides of the basins. Remove from the oven, then leave to rest for 1 min before turning out onto warm plates. Sprinkle with extra sea salt, then serve straightaway.
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