Lucy Watson, from whose cookbook we extracted this recipe, calls these her ‘melt-in-the-middle chocolate puddings’ – they are spongy, gooey and mouth-watering all round!
Chocolate Fondant Volcano Pudding
Serves 4 | 45 Minutes, plus 2-3 hours for freezing the ganache
Ingredients:
- 40ml sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing
- 30g cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
- 110g plain flour
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 90g soft brown sugar
- 100ml soya milk
- 1 tsp instant coffee
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- 2 tsp ground flaxseed
Note: for an extra twist, add a teaspoon of peanut butter to the centre of each fondant with the frozen ganache. Make the frozen ganache the evening before, if possible, however, if you are short of time, 2 hours in the freezer should do the trick.
Method:
1. To make the ganache, melt the chocolate with the milk in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Stir occasionally with a small whisk or spoon until the chocolate has melted and is combined with the milk. (Alternatively, put the ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at full power for 30 seconds. If there are still lumps of chocolate, put it back into the microwave in 10-seconds blasts, stirring each time, until completely combined and smooth.
2. Pour the ganache into an ice cube tray and put it into the freezer. Leave to freeze for at least 2 hours.
3. 30 minutes before you want to serve your fondant, preheat the oven to 180 °C. (160 °C fan, gas 4). Take 4 small individual pudding moulds or ramekins that will comfortably hold an ice cube, grease them with oil and dust with a layer of cocoa powder.
4. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using a whisk, mix the sugar into the dry ingredients.
5. In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, 150 ml warm water, coffee, vinegar, flaxseed and oil. Using the whisk, mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until the batter is combined.
6. Fill each pudding mould to about a quarter with the fondant mixture, then place a frozen cube of ganache on top. Cover the ganache with more fondant mixture until the pudding mould is just over half full.
7. Gently tap the moulds on the work surface to remove any air bubbles.
8. Put the filled moulds onto a baking tray and bake in the centre of the oven for 14 minutes – don’t be tempted to open the oven door!
9. When the timer goes, remove from the oven immediately. Gently release the sides of each pudding using a small round-bladed knife. Put a small serving plate on top of the mould and flip upside down so that the plate is now the right way up.
10. Carefully lift off the pudding mould. Serve immediately with an extra dusting of cocoa powder.
