Ooh la la, this is a smooth rich, velvety chocolate pudding and are also known as Lava Cakes, obviously because of the molten chocolate center. I have given you the recipe as it is written but as usual I modified it to suit myself. I made these the day before and cooked from chilled, if you do the same then increase the cooking time to 13 minutes. Timing is the most important element for this dessert and that depends on the thickness and depth of your mould or ramekin, a practise run might be required (oh the hardship!).
I never use plain chocolate with 70% cocoa solids, for me it's too bitter, so I use chocolate around 55% cocoa solids. This can be bought in all sweet shops. Feel free to experiment by adding a few raspberries half way through filling each mould or perhaps some crushed hazelnuts, either way you decide. A final note, this can be made into one large moelleux, simply bake the batter in a 400ml ceramic dish at 200C/ Gas 6 for 18-20 minutes.
Serves 4
Ingredients25g Butter, softened
175g Dark chocolate, broken into pieces
75g Caster sugar
2 Eggs
½ tsp Vanilla essence
25g Plain flour
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Place a baking sheet in the oven to heat up. Butter four 160ml dariole moulds or ramekins and line the bases with discs of greaseproof or baking paper. Melt the chocolate pieces in the microwave on full powder in 30 second intervals until melted. Cool slightly.
Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and slightly fluffy. Beat the eggs in one at a time then add the vanilla and a pinch of salt.
Stir in the flour until just combined, then gently mix in the melted chocolate.
The mixture should be thickened quite a bit.
Divide between the flour moulds and bake on the preheated baking sheet for 9 minutes.
Run a knife gently around the edge of the mould and turn out immediately, tuck in!