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Fondant au chocolat

Molten chocolate pudding

Fondant au chocolat: French molten-centred chocolate puddings

The fondant au chocolat, sometimes called moelleux or coulant, is the most ordered dessert in French brasseries, a small chocolate cake with a crisp shell and a molten, flowing middle, served warm with vanilla ice cream or crème anglaise. The batter can be made ahead and baked at the last minute. The common mistake is overbaking by a minute or two, which leaves no molten heart. Chef's tip: bake one test pudding first to find the exact time for your oven.
Total time
22 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Butter four 175 ml pudding moulds and dust with the 1 tbsp cocoa powder.

    5 min
  2. Step 2: Melt the 4 ½ oz dark chocolate (60–70% cocoa) and 3 ½ oz unsalted butter together over a low heat or in short bursts in the microwave.

    3 min
  3. Step 3: Whisk the 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks and 2 ⅛ oz caster sugar until pale and doubled, fold in the chocolate, then the ⅞ oz plain flour.

    5 min
  4. Step 4: Divide between the moulds and bake for 10–12 minutes, until the tops are firm and slightly cracked but the centre still wobbles. Rest 1 minute, run a knife round and turn out on to plates.

    12 min

Nutrition per serving

Calories
450 kcal
Protein
7 g
Carbs
36 g
Fat
32 g
Fibre
3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does fondant au chocolat take?
About 22 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegetarian?
Yes. It has no meat or fish.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
What can I use instead of eggs?
1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).

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