Dark Chocolate Fondant Recipe

Dark Chocolate Fondants (Serves 4-6)

A perfect dessert for entertaining, impressive, simple to prepare and serve...

Ingredients:   100g Dark Chocolate
                           130g Unsalted Butter (Cubed)
                           120g Caster Sugar
                           100g Flour
                           4 Eggs (2 Whole, 2 Yolks)
                           Cocoa Powder (To Dust)
                          

Method:

1. Firstly, butter the moulds. Soften 30g of the butter and brush the moulds with upwards strokes to encourage the fondants to rise when baked later. Once covered, refrigerate for 10 minutes for the butter to chill and repeat the process again. Roll in cocoa powder until the entire mould is lightly coated, tap out any excess powder.

2. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

3. Place a bowl over simmering water to create a bain marie. Place the dark chocolate and remaining butter in the bowl to melt.

4. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs and caster sugar in a stand mixer on a medium to high speed until the mixture is pale and thickened to form a sabayon.

5. Once the chocolate and butter is melted, add to the sabayon whilst the stand mixer is still in operation. When fully incorporated, take the bowl out of the stand mixer and fold in the flour.

6. Pour the mixture into a piping bag, before filling the moulds two-thirds of the way up on the mould.

7. Place in the oven and cook for 8-10 minutes until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the side of their moulds. Leave to cool for 30 seconds before turning out carefully onto a plate to serve.

8. Serve with vanilla ice cream or any variants. Salted caramel ice cream would be a perfect partner for this dessert...