molten bliss

Last night our pudding was chocolate fondant - the bane of MasterChef contestants and judges in Aus and the UK. However, must say, these worked out rather well. For a start, they're a Gordon Ramsay recipe - which I saw a team prepare on The F Word, to great success. Secondly, I followed a blogger's advice {ironchefshellie.blogspot.com} and froze them before cooking. Yep, froze 'em.

They were amazing. Here's the recipe - all I can suggest is sit in front of your oven, watching them every second of the 12 - 15 minutes they'll need to cook {my hades-like oven took 12 minutes} and as soon as the top starts looking brownie-esque and starts to pull from the sides, whip 'em out, let 'em sit for a minute, then pop 'em out on a plate.

Chocolate Fondant
Gordon Ramsay

50g melted butter , for brushing
cocoa powder , for dusting
200g good-quality dark chocolate , chopped into small pieces
200g butter , in small pieces
200g golden caster sugar
4 eggs and 4 yolks
200g plain flour

Prepare your moulds ready. Using upward strokes, heavily brush the melted butter 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 gently simmering water, then slowly melt the chocolate and butter together. Remove bowl from the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for about 10 mins.

3. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and yolks together with the sugar until thick and pale. Sift the flour into the eggs, then beat together.

4. 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.

5. 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, add around 5 mins more to the cooking time.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. Sit a fondant in the middle of each plate. Using a large spoon dipped in hot water, scoop a 'quenelle' of ice cream.

9. Carefully place the ice cream on top of the fondant, then serve immediately. Repeat with the rest of the fondants.

Serve to a round of enthusiastic applause - even if it's only your own!