Flourless chocolate fondants with a caramel centre
- Prepare
- over 2 hours
- Cook
- 10 to 30 mins
- Serve
- Makes 4
A great way to use up small caramel-filled chocolate eggs at Easter. For this recipe, you will need four dariole moulds, each with a capacity of 140–150ml/4¾ –5fl oz.
Ingredients
For the classic thin custard
- 500ml/18fl oz whole milk
- 500ml/18fl oz double cream
- 1 vanilla pod, split
- 120g/4½oz caster sugar
- 6 medium free range eggs yolks
For the fondant
- 80g/2¾oz unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 100g/3½oz dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids, chopped
- 2 free-range eggs
- 2 free-range egg yolks
- 45g/1½oz caster sugar
- 2 tsp cocoa powder, sifted, plus extra for dusting and to decorate
- pinch sea salt flakes
- 4 mini caramel-filled chocolate eggs
Method
To make the thin custard, stir together the milk, cream and vanilla in a saucepan with half of the sugar to start with and place over a medium heat. (Using only half the sugar first stops the milk from catching.)
Meanwhile, in a separate heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the rest of the sugar to combine. When the milk is steaming hot and just about to come to the boil (do not let it boil), slowly pour roughly two thirds of it over the yolks, whisking vigorously as you pour, until smooth and combined.
Pour the yolk mix back into the pan over a low heat with the remaining milk and whisk well to incorporate.
Get rid of your whisk and switch to a spatula. Basically you're now aiming to gently bring it to 82°C/180°F, no biggie. Just keep the heat low and gently stir with your spatula for about 5–7 minutes. Once the bubbles start to disappear, you're nearly there. Remember, you have control over this, so take it off the heat and stir for a bit if you need.
When the custard is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon it's ready. Remove the vanilla pod and serve hot or pour the custard into a bowl and leave to cool over an ice bath before storing in the fridge.
Grease four 140–150ml/4¾ –5fl oz dariole moulds well and dust with cocoa powder. Chill the moulds in the fridge.
Melt the butter and chocolate together in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, taking care the bowl does not touch the water, or in short bursts in a microwave until fully melted.
Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and sugar together in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl using an electric hand-held whisk. Whisk until slightly thickened.
Pour in the chocolate mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula. Fold in the cocoa powder and salt flakes until a smooth mixture forms.
Spoon the mixture evenly into the dariole moulds, leaving a 2cm/¾in space at the top of each mould. Take the caramel-filled eggs and push one into the centre of each fondant. Use a spoon to cover the fondant mixture over each caramel egg.
Chill in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight. (They can also be frozen at this point for up to 1 month – bake from frozen as below, adding an extra 3–4 minutes baking time).
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
Bake for 10–12 minutes or until they have risen slightly to the top of the moulds and no longer look wet in the middle.
Remove from the oven and leave to stand for 1 minute before turning each one out onto a serving plate and carefully removing the mould.
Dust with sifted cocoa powder and serve immediately with the cooled custard.
