Next Level Chocolate Fondant 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.

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.

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.