Best Chocolate Fondants Recipes

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.

CHOCOLATE LIME FONDANTS WITH CANDIED LIME PEEL

Steps:

• For the candied lime peel, put the sugar and 150ml water in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a slow simmer. Add the strips of lime peel and cook gently for 25 mins until the peel has softened and the syrup has thickened. Sprinkle a layer of caster sugar over a sheet of baking parchment, lift the softened lime peel with a slotted spoon onto the sugar and roll to coat. Leave to cool until hardened. Will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
• Next, make the lime curd. Put the lime juice and zest, sugar, cornflour, butter, eggs and egg yolk in a heatproof bowl, and whisk together to combine. Set the bowl on top of a pan of simmering water, and continue to whisk for about 20 mins until thickened - don't be alarmed if it looks like it has curdled at first, as once the butter has melted, it will come together. It should coat the back of the spoon once done. Stir through the food colouring, if using, and set aside to cool. Will keep, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
• Brush the moulds with the melted butter, then place them on a tray and put in the freezer for 10 mins or until the butter has set. Take out and brush with butter again, then return to the freezer for another 10 mins. Dust the insides with a good coating of cocoa powder, tap out any excess and set aside.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together, then leave to cool.
• Whisk the sugar and eggs with an electric hand whisk until light, fluffy and the mixture has tripled in volume. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and lime zest, and mix well. Fold the flour gently and quickly into the fondant mixture until fully incorporated, then spoon the mixture into the moulds, filling them almost to the top - leave a little space as they will rise. Bake in the oven for 10 mins or until a crust has formed and the sides are just starting to come away from the moulds.
• Remove from the oven, and leave to stand for 1 min, then turn out - don't leave them any longer or the heat from the moulds will continue to cook the fondant and they won't have an oozy centre. To serve, place a spoonful of curd on each serving plate and spread with the back of a spoon. Place the fondants on top, and top each one with candied lime peel.

PETITS FONDANTS AU CHOCOLAT (LITTLE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE CAKES)

Steps:

• Set racks at the lower and upper thirds of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.
• Melt the chocolate over hot water, stirring occasionally then set it aside to cool slightly. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over low heat, stirring occasionally to make sure all the sugar crystals dissolve. Remove the syrup from the heat and stir in the butter. When it has melted stir in the Framboise, then the melted chocolate.
• Beat the eggs then whisk them into the chocolate mixture in a stream.
• Be careful not to overmix. Pour the batter into the molds and bake about 35 to 40 minutes.
• Cool briefly in the pans then unmold. Cool at room temperature. Whip the cream with the sugar until it holds a soft peak. Pipe a rosette of the whipped cream on each tiny cake and top with a few chocolate shavings and a light dusting of confectioners' sugar. Place 2 or 3 raspberries around the top of each.
• For the raspberry sauce, bring the raspberries and sugar to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. Puree in blender then strain away seeds. Cool and stir in Framboise. Serve the Fondants in a puddle of the sauce.

CHOCOLATE PECAN FONDANTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Butter 2 individual pudding basins (about 200ml capacity), then dust generously with cocoa powder. Melt the chocolate with the butter in a bowl over simmering water or in a microwave and stir until smooth. Gradually stir in the egg, then flour, nuts, sugar and a pinch of salt, and beat gently until everything is combined, but still runny.
• Divide the mixture between the pudding basins. These can now be chilled for up to a day ahead. Bake for 15 mins (or 18 mins if chilled). Turn out onto small plates and serve with ice cream. Fondants should be cooked on the outside and molten in the middle.

CHOC-PEANUT FONDANTS WITH CHOCOLATE SOIL & CHERRIES

Steps:

• Make the soil first. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Thinly slice the chocolate cake and lay on baking trays lined with baking parchment. Bake for 30 mins, turning the slices halfway, until crisp to the touch. Put in a food processor and whizz to crunchy crumbs. Will keep well for up to a week in an airtight tin.
• Make the fondants by brushing 6 dariole moulds well with melted butter. Chill for 1 min, then brush again. Put a spoon of cocoa powder in one and shake about so the whole inside is coated, then tip out the rest into the next and tap the bottom of the dariole to get out any excess. Repeat with all the darioles.
• Beat together the softened butter, peanut butter, sugar and vanilla to cream them, then beat in the eggs, followed by the flour. Stir in the melted chocolate and divide between the darioles. Chill for up to 24 hrs.
• To serve, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Bake the fondants for 10-12 mins - the top will be set, but you should feel a soft middle when you prod it. Add a small pile of soil to each plate and top with a cherry - or put the soil in a mini bucket or flowerpot. Add a spoon of cherry compote to each plate and top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Finally, carefully turn each chocolate fondant out onto the plate - they should come out easily. Serve immediately.

DUNCAN'S PERFECT CHOCOLATE FONDANTS

Steps:

• Mix 1 teaspoon flour and cocoa powder together in a bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter 6 metal pudding ramekins and use a fine sieve to dust the insides with the flour-cocoa powder mixture.
• Place chocolate and 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of boiling water. Stir until melted, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove bowl from the saucepan and set aside to cool slightly.
• Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Whisk in 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour gradually until smooth. Stir in the cooled melted chocolate-butter mixture.
• Whisk egg whites together in a bowl, using a clean whisk, until stiff. Fold gently into the chocolate-butter mixture. Pour into the prepared ramekins.
• Bake in the preheated oven until risen but slightly undercooked inside, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Carefully remove ramekins from the oven and loosen the sides of each cake with a round-bladed knife.

EMILY'S CHOCOLATE FONDANTS

Steps:

• To make the fondants: Preheat the oven to 400 o F. Coat six 3/4 cup custard cups with one tablespoon butter. Dust the molds with cocoa powder, rolling each mold to count. Tap out excess. Stir the chocolate and the two sticks butter in a heavy medium sauccepan over low heat until smooth. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar in a large bowl until pale and doubled in volume; this will take 3 to 5 minutes. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Pour into the prepared molds, dividing equally. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, utiil slightly puffed and just set around the sides. The center should be liquid. Let the fondants rest for 3 to 4 minutes. To make the sauce: Bring the cream just to a simmer in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Turn off the heat and add the chooped chocolate. Stir constantly until melted and smooth. To serve: Place a plate over each fondant and invert, givving a sharp shake to loosen. Spoon chocolate sauce over and serve with vanilla icecream.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE FONDANTS

Steps:

• For the filling, pour the cream into a saucepan and warm over a low heat until steaming. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and brandy until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Tip into a small bowl, sprinkle over a small pinch of sea salt and chill for at least 1 hr until set. When ready, it should be firm enough to roll into a ball. Divide the mixture into four and roll each portion into a ball, then put on a plate or tray and keep chilled until needed.
• Melt 25g of the butter in the microwave and use this to brush the insides of four mini pudding moulds or ramekins. Dust with the cocoa, shaking out any excess. Tip the chocolate and remaining butter into a small heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, ensuring the bowl doesn't touch the water, and stir until melted and combined. Beat the eggs and sugar together in a separate bowl using an electric whisk for 4-5 mins until pale and fluffy. Remove the chocolate mix from the heat and gently fold in the whipped egg mix to combine. Fill each mould just a third of the way up with the fondant mixture, then drop a ball of filling onto the middle of each. Spoon over enough of the remaining fondant mixture to come two-thirds of the way up the sides of the moulds - you need to leave the final third free to allow for rising. Freeze for at least 4 hrs. Will keep frozen for two months.
• To bake, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put as many fondants as you want to cook on a baking tray and bake for 15-18 mins until the tops have formed a crust and the fondants are starting to come away from the sides of the moulds. Leave to rest for 1 min, then loosen by running a cutlery knife around the sides of the moulds. Turn out onto plates and serve with ice cream or crème fraîche.

FOOLPROOF CHOCOLATE & COFFEE FONDANTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Use a pastry brush to grease 6 dariole moulds or individual pudding basins really well and place in the fridge for the butter to set. Then grease again, dust with cocoa powder and set aside.
• Melt the butter and chocolate together over a pan of barely simmering water, then remove. In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and eggs together until light and fluffy. Fold the chocolate and beaten egg together, then add the coffee and finally fold through the flour.
• Divide the mixture between the darioles. The puddings can now be frozen or chilled. Place on a baking tray and bake for exactly 12 mins until the mixture has puffed up and formed a crust but still has a slight wobble to it. Turn the puddings out onto serving plates and serve with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream for a great contrast of hot and cold.