Chocolate Fondant Food

CHOCOLATE FONDANTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and put a baking tray on the middle shelf. Brush the inside of 5 dariole or pudding moulds with the melted butter, then put the cocoa in one and turn it to coat the inside, holding it over the second mould to catch any that escapes. Repeat with the other moulds.
• Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl, set over, but not touching, a pan of simmering water and stir occasionally until melted. allow to cool slightly.
• Using electric beaters, whisk together the whole eggs, yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt until pale and moussey (the mixture should almost double in volume), this will take 3-4 mins. Gently fold in the melted chocolate and butter, and then the flour, being careful not to knock out too much air. Spoon into the prepared moulds, stopping just shy of the top. Chill for at least 1 hr.
• Put on a hot baking tray and cook for 12-14 mins until the tops are set and coming away from the sides of the moulds. Stand for 30 secs, then serve in the moulds or turn out onto plates. Great with clotted cream or plain ice cream.

CHOCOLATE FONDANT

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 450ºF.
• Grease two 6-oz. ramekins and dust lightly with cocoa powder.
• In a medium heatproof bowl, combine the chocolate and butter.
• Set the bowl over but not touching simmering water in a saucepan and melt the chocolate and butter, stirring often, until smooth and blended.
• (Do not overcook.) Let cool to room temperature.
• In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until completely blended and frothy.
• Using a large spatula, gently fold in the chocolate mixture until smooth and blended.
• Sift half of the flour over the batter and gently fold together until just blended, then repeat with the remaining flour.
• Divide the batter among the prepared ramekins and bake until the tops are just firm when lightly touched, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Serve warm with the vanilla ice cream and raspberries.

CHOCOLATE FONDANT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C). Butter and flour a large 4-cup muffin tin.
• Melt butter and semisweet chocolate in a small saucepan over low heat; stir until smooth and shiny, about 3 minutes.
• Mix 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar and flour together in a bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time. Add butter-chocolate mixture gradually; stir until well combined. Pour evenly into the prepared muffin cups; add a candy kiss in the center of each one, making sure it is covered by the chocolate mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven until mostly set but still runny in the center, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool before eating, about 10 minutes.

CHOCOLATE FONDANT

Steps:

• First get your moulds ready. Using upward strokes, heavily brush melted butter (use 50g in total) all over the inside of the pudding mould. Place the mould in the fridge or freezer. Brush more melted butter over the chilled butter, then add a good spoonful of cocoa powder into the mould. Tip the mould so the powder completely coats the butter. Tap any excess cocoa back into the jar, then repeat with the next mould.
• Place a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then slowly melt 200g good-quality dark chocolate and 200g butter, both chopped into small pieces, together. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for about 10 mins.
• In a separate bowl whisk 4 eggs and 4 egg yolks together with 200g golden caster sugar until thick and pale and the whisk leaves a trail; use an electric whisk if you want. Sift 200g plain flour into the eggs, then beat together.
• Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture in thirds, beating well between each addition, until all the chocolate is added and the mixture is completely combined to a loose cake batter.
• Tip the fondant batter into a jug, then evenly divide between the moulds. The fondants can now be frozen for up to a month and cooked from frozen. Chill for at least 20 mins or up to the night before. To bake from frozen, simply carry on as stated, adding 5 mins more to the cooking time.
• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place the fondants on a baking tray, then cook for 10-12 mins until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the sides of their moulds. Remove from the oven, then leave to sit for 1 min before turning out.
• Loosen the fondants by moving the tops very gently so they come away from the sides, easing them out of the moulds. Tip each fondant slightly onto your hand so you know it has come away, then tip back into the mould ready to plate up.
• Starting from the middle of each plate, squeeze a spiral of caramel sauce - do all the plates you need before you go on to the next stage.
• Sit a fondant in the middle of each plate. Using a large spoon dipped in hot water, scoop a 'quenelle' of ice cream.
• Carefully place the ice cream on top of the fondant, then serve immediately. Repeat with the rest of the fondants.

CHOCOLATE FONDANTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F/200C. Coat six 3-inch-/8-cm-deep x 2 1/2-inch-/6-cm-wide molds or six ¾- cup/180-ml, ovenproof custard cups with 1 tablespoon/15 g of butter. Dust the molds with cocoa powder, rolling each mold around to cover the sides and bottoms well and tapping out any excess cocoa.
• Stir the chocolate and remaining 2 sticks/226 g of butter in a heavy medium saucepan over a low heat until smooth. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl until pale and doubled in volume; this will take about 3 to 5 minutes. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Pour into the prepared molds, dividing equally.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until slightly puffed and just set around the sides (a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes should come out with batter attached). Let the fondants rest for 3 to 4 minutes.
• To make the sauce:
• Meanwhile, bring the cream just to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate. Stir constantly until melted and smooth.

CHOCOLATE FONDANT

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Butter 4 ramekins (3 inches/7.5 cm in diameter) and dust liberally with cocoa powder. 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.
• Using an electric whisk, beat the whole egg, egg yolk, and sugar together until pale and thick, then incorporate the chocolate mixture. Fold in the liqueur, followed by the flour.
• Divide the chocolate mixture among the ramekins and bake for 12 minutes. Turn the chocolate fondants out onto warm plates and serve immediately with a dollop of crème fraîche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

NEXT LEVEL CHOCOLATE FONDANT

Steps:

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

GORDON RAMSAY'S CHOCOLATE FONDANT

Steps:

• Using upward strokes, heavily brush the melted butter all over the inside of nine 150 ml pudding moulds. Place them into the fridge or freezer. Once they are chilled, brush more melted butter over the chilled butter, then add a good spoonful of cocoa powder into the mould. Tip the mould so the powder completely coats the butter. Tap any excess cocoa out, and then repeat with all of the moulds.
• Place a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, and then slowly melt the chocolate and butter together. Remove bowl from heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for about ten minutes.
• In another bowl whisk the eggs and yolks together with the sugar until thick and pale and the whisk leaves a trail. Sift the flour into the eggs, and then beat together.
• Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture in thirds, beating well between each addition until all the chocolate is added and the mixture is completely combined to a loose cake batter.
• Tip the fondant into a jug, then evenly divide between the moulds. These can now be frozen for up to a month and cooked from frozen. If not freezing, chill for a minimum of 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.
• Heat the oven to 200/180/Gas 6.
• Place the fondants on a baking tray then cook for 10-12 minutes until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the sides of their moulds. Remove from the oven, and then let them sit for 1 minute before turning out.
• Loosen the fondants by moving the tops very gently so they come away from the sides, easing them out of the moulds. Tip each one slightly onto your hand so you know that it has come away, then tip back into the mould, put a plate on top and turn it over.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce.

WHITE CHOCOLATE FONDANT

Steps:

• Melt white chocolate in a double boiler.
• Transfer white chocolate to a bowl and stir in syrup.
• It will look like the syrup is separating from the mix, but cover it with saran wrap and let sit 24 hours.
• After 24 hrs, it will be hard, but knead until smooth. You can put it briefly in the microwave to make it easier to get out of the bowl. Sometimes lumps have formed, but if you keep kneading you can get these out. Knead a small portion at a time if it's more manageable. If it gets too soft, refrigerate briefly. Do not over work mixture as it becomes oily.
• Using a rolling pin, roll out to approximately 1/8 inch thickness onto a Roll & Cut Mat (or nonstick paper like wax paper) using powdered sugar or cornstarch to prevent sticking.
• To Tint: Add Wilton gel color to fondant and knead in color until well blended.
• To Store: Wrap with saran wrap and place in a sealed bag or container and store in the refrigerator or at room temperature until ready for use.
• Note: Preparation time does not include the 24 hour hold.

FOOLPROOF CHOCOLATE & COFFEE FONDANTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Use a pastry brush to grease 6 dariole moulds or individual pudding basins really well and place in the fridge for the butter to set. Then grease again, dust with cocoa powder and set aside.
• Melt the butter and chocolate together over a pan of barely simmering water, then remove. In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and eggs together until light and fluffy. Fold the chocolate and beaten egg together, then add the coffee and finally fold through the flour.
• Divide the mixture between the darioles. The puddings can now be frozen or chilled. Place on a baking tray and bake for exactly 12 mins until the mixture has puffed up and formed a crust but still has a slight wobble to it. Turn the puddings out onto serving plates and serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream for a great contrast of hot and cold.

ALICE'S FONDANT FILLING FOR CHOCOLATES

Steps:

• Combine ingredients in heavy saucepan. Boil until it reaches a soft ball stage. Pour into buttered dish to cool.
• After mixture is cooled, pour on clean surface and beat with wooden paddles until light and airy. Just as mixture "turns" mix in flavoring until thoroughly blended inches.
• Refrigerate to cool completely. Form into balls. Dip in desired chocolate.
• Variations:.
• Peppermint (peppermint extract to taste).
• Maple Walnut (maple flavoring to taste and finely chopped walnuts).
• Orange (orange extract to taste--a few drops to 1/2 teaspoon).
• Cherry (Maraschino cherries drained and quartered--pat dry).
• Cherry-almond (as above but add almond extract to taste).
• Almond (almond extract with a sliced almond on top of finished chocolate).
• Coconut (fine coconut plus vanilla).
• Rum (rum extract plus 1-2 teaspoons butter).