Duncans Perfect Chocolate Fondants Food

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.

FLOURLESS FRENCH CHOCOLATE FONDANT CAKE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large saucepan, stir together the egg yolk and the granulated sugar until it turns light yellow and slightly foamy. In a separate small saucepan over low heat, bring the milk to a simmer.
• Once the milk is just beginning to bubble (be careful not to let the milk boil or the milk may curdle), add half of the milk, whisking constantly, to the egg-sugar mixture. Add the remainder of the hot milk to the tempered eggs, continue stirring, and cook over low-medium heat for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture thickens and coats a spoon.
• Place the chopped chocolate into a double boiler set over 2 inches of simmering water. Pour the milk-egg mixture over the chocolate, stirring constantly, until it is melted and the mixture is completely smooth. Chocolate can be melted in the microwave but this must be approached with caution as the chocolate can easily burn.
• Add the butter and the vanilla extract to the hot chocolate milk mixture and continue cooking and stirring until the butter is completely melted about 3 minutes. Pour the batter into a very lightly greased 9-inch loaf pan or classic round tin and refrigerate the chocolate fondant for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.`
• To unmold the cake, place the bottom of the pan into a large pan of hot water for 30 seconds. Loosen the edges of the cake with a butter knife or an offset spatula, and invert it onto a chilled serving platter. Cut the cake into crosswise slices and serve it cold.

DUNCAN'S PERFECT CHOCOLATE FONDANTS

Steps:

• Mix 1 teaspoon flour and cocoa powder together in a bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter 6 metal pudding ramekins and use a fine sieve to dust the insides with the flour-cocoa powder mixture.
• Place chocolate and 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of boiling water. Stir until melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove bowl from the saucepan and set aside to cool slightly.
• Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Whisk in 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour gradually until smooth. Stir in the cooled melted chocolate-butter mixture.
• Whisk egg whites together in a bowl, using a clean whisk, until stiff. Fold gently into the chocolate-butter mixture. Pour into the prepared ramekins.
• Bake in the preheated oven until risen but slightly undercooked inside, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Carefully remove ramekins from the oven and loosen the sides of each cake with a round-bladed knife.

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:

• 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.

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.

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).