Phil Vickery's chocolate fondant puddings recipe

Rich, dark sponge hiding a gooey sauce that oozes out as you dive in. These chocolate fondant puddings are one of our all-time favourite puddings. 

These chocolate fondant puddings are much easier to make than they look, and always get a great reaction when they're served up. The trick is that they are cooked just until they are soft and spongy on the outside, but the middle is still goopy and melty. Serve them warm from the oven with lashings of cream, ice cream or sour cream (the tang of the sourness is rather lovely against the sweetness of the chocolate).

Ingredients

• 55g (2oz) butter
• 85g (3oz) caster sugar
• 170g tube condensed milk, like Carnation
• 4 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp coffee powder, like Nescafé Espresso, dissolved in 1tbsp boiling water
• 350g (12oz) dark chocolate, melted
• 85g (3oz) plain or Italian 00 flour
• Icing sugar, sifted, to dust

You will also need:

• 6 greased and base lined 150ml (¼pt) Dariole moulds or pudding basins

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Place a large baking sheet in the oven.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar using an electric hand whisk until pale and creamy. Gradually whisk in the condensed milk.
3. Gently whisk in the eggs, a little at a time, followed by the vanilla and coffee. Add the melted chocolate, mix thoroughly, then add the flour and whisk until smooth.
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the moulds and either store in the refrigerator until needed or place onto the hot baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. If cooked from chilled, bake for 12 minutes.
5. Immediately run a knife around the edge of the puddings to un-mould, and dust with icing sugar. Phil serves them with lightly whipped double cream or vanilla ice cream.

Top tip for making Phil Vickery's chocolate fondant puddings

Add the zest of an orange in place of the coffee if you prefer. It will lighten the chocolate taste slightly.

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