I have always considered myself quite a nice person. I like food of all shapes, flavours and colours. From every country and continent. I don’t discriminate, I am an equal opportunity eater. It’s only the doctors who say I’m intolerant. And certain foods who refuse to tolerate me. They certainly refuse to recognise and respect my right to eat them without major physical discomfort and distress.


Gluten and lactose are not my friends.


Despite the negative attitudes surrounding me from many of those I love best, (cakes, ice cream, hot toast) I decided to become a chef. Not always easy when you live in a bread and milk filled world. I like to think that this has helped me become a better person as I embrace my differences and refuse to let the gluten get me down. I believe InTolerance. I am the InTolerant Chef.

Food should not be about what you can’t eat, but what you can and what you enjoy eating. This blog is about my journey of cooking and eating and discovery. It’s not a definitive guide to allergy awareness nor do my intolerances make me an expert. Your body is your responsibility, not mine. I only know what works for me.


I can tell you this..... No glutens were harmed in the making of this website.

May 24, 2012

Chocolate Fondant Puddings


















I know I only just made a chocolate recipe last time Dear Readers, but with post-Easter chocolate still hanging around, I thought I'd use it up with a recipie more suited for our wintery weather and make some Chocolate Fondant Puddings, AKA Chocolate Lava Cakes.


What lovely impressive little cakies these are indeed!

Molten chocolate flowing from the centre, with a raspberry or two on the crest of the wave. Mmmm...


These are perfect desserts for when you want a bit of Wow for a dinner party, and they can even be prepared a few days ahead of time, or frozen for a few weeks if you're really that organised- or like me and just like to have a few things on hand for chocolate emergencies!


It took a few goes to work out the kinks in my recipe, this one was Too Soft- collapsing into a sog on the plate, this one was Too Hard- just a plain old cake, but finally I got it Juuuuuust Right!


I didn't want a light and fluffy version of these that almost souffles up before collapsing, or a plain raw-cake batter mix either (yes, I've been served one of those and it wasn't at all nice) I decided instead to go for a heavier almond meal base that would really stick-to-your-ribs for winter, but be perfect as a small serving to end an elegant meal.

The raw mix sets quite stiffly and the heaviness of the almonds means you need to cook it a bit lower and slower than you might think. I also tried baking these from frozen, to try for the perfect molten centre, but the heavy mix put too much pressure on the softer baked shell.  I timed them exactly for my oven and it's quirks, but you might need to try one out in yours before you want to impress anyone with perfection. That also means that the sacrificial pudding will need eating so it doesn't go to waste- what a shame! I won't tell anyone you got one extra, I promise.


Chocolate Fondant Puddings

makes 4





















200g Dark Chocolate (I used Lidnt 85% because that's what I had handy, but really it was very rich and strong. 70% would have been much better)
200g Butter
1/4 cup Almond Meal
1/4 cup Castor Sugar
4 Eggs
Pinch of Salt
Frozen Raspberries
4 1/2 cup capacity ramekins



Melt the butter and chocolate together. You can use a pan, a water bath, or just the microwave, it doesn't really matter as long as they are combined nicely

















Add in everything else

















then stir really well until smooth and silky looking with no lumps
















Grease your ramekins really, really well. You don't want the little Lavas to stick on their way out now.
Fill your ramekins nearly to the top, then pop just a few frozen raspberries into the mixture, and push them into the middle of the cake


















Tap the ramekins sharply on a flat surface to remove any air bubbles and settle the raspberries in place


















Now you can put the little cakies away in the fridge and forget about them for a few days, or until your dinner party. You can even freeze them if you like, but let them defrost thouroughly before baking


Bake these little lovelies at 180* for exactly 13 minutes. Pull them out, then let them settle for just 2 minutes more before turning them out carefully onto the serving plates




















Aren't they just lovely!




















I served these with a swipe of raspberry sauce underneath and some extra berries scattered around. If you have some lactose free cream or ice cream around, that would be nice too.

Cut into your little pudding, and watch the magic happen! Oozy, molten middle spilling over the crust of cakiness, Yummo!

More elegant than a self sacing pudding, and a bit of foodie theatre as well. What a perfect ending for a winters evening.






















So Dear Readers, what do you think is the perfect chocolate dessert for winter?








.

41 comments:

  1. Wow, this looks utterly delicious! I love the little cake pans you used. They almost look like sake cups!! :)

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    1. That's cause they are Kath! They were just the perfect size and shape for my puddings :)

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  2. I think the sticky date pudding has been done to death so I'd happily replace this as my favourite winter dessert recipe. I love how you can make these in advance and then just cook them on the night - I didn't know you could do that. And with all that bitter chocolate these would be sensational with the raspberries. Great recipe xx

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    1. Thanks Charlie! I'm all for do-aheads, it makes life so much simpler :)

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  3. How beautiful and mighty tasty looking! I love lava cakes - such a great recipe!

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  4. Oooh! This'll do!
    Anything do ahead-able is perfect in my world, but these look amazing XO

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    1. Sure makes entertaining easier if you aren't rushing around all night Janet! How's the new addition to your family fitting in?

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    1. Thanks Lisa! You are so lucky to be able to handle spelt, but these are yummy with the almond meal :)

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  6. Oh my gosh!! This is such a quick, simple and decadent dessert! Don't hate me for saying this, but I'm actually not a big fan of chocolate cause I have a low tolerance for sweet stuff (I like steak, see. haha. savoury boy through and through). Anyway, despite that, I have to say that I LOVE chocolate fondants. They're really one of my favourite desserts. I've bookmarked these and I really can't wait to make them. Thanks so much!! Hope you're doing well over there. Take care kay

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    1. I love steak too Winston! I'm also not much of a dessert eater, but these are a bit of sweet sophistication at the end of a meal. Let me know how you get on :)

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  7. I'll admit it right now, I drooled when I read these words: "Molten chocolate flowing from the centre, with a raspberry or two on the crest of the wave" :P

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    1. Thanks Lorraine. I'm so glad you understand when I wax poetic when I'm write about food! :)

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    2. Thanks Lorraine, I'm so glad you get me when I wax poetic when I write about food. That's just what it did look like! :)

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  8. Oh yum! I've had chocolate fondants on my mind lately and could go one of these right about now :-p xx

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    1. It must be the nasty cold weather. Wish I could send you one Emma :)

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  9. Lindt 85% is my favourite Lindt, so I think I would definitely adore the richness of these :D Look wonderful!

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    1. Very rich and a bit bitter too Hannah, that's why I suggested changing it to 70%. I'm glad you're another very dark choccie lover like me though!

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  10. Wow that looks so decadent...I LOVE choc fondant...especially ones that ooze out in the middle...mmmm

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    1. Thanks Jenny, it does make a chocolate pudding special to have it surprise you like that :)

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  11. These look incredible!! I love that they are oozy in the centre and that you put raspberries in there (mmm.... raspberries & chocolate!) I've seen this kind of dessert before and always felt a bit intimidated to make it for some reason but your careful instructions with the photos make me want to run out and make some right now! And I love how few ingredients there are too. This is a beautiful recipe, thank you and thanks for stopping by my blog, which is how I discovered yours :-)

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    1. Don't let baking intimidate you. Cakes are like dogs- they can smell your fear!
      I had to visit when I saw lilac as an ingredient, I love edible flowers :)

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  12. deadly!!

    your dessert perfectly compliments this weather!!!

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    1. Nice and cosy, rich and warming- that's what we need in this yucky weather Dolly, that's for sure!

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  13. What an amazing recipe! I love that you've used just almond meal instead of a combination of gf flours - I think the almond/choc combo is sublime! And they look fantastic, standing all tall on the serving plate.. :)

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    1. Thanks Celia! I wanted to make mine a bit more substantial for winter eating without being stodgy. I was after a pretty shape too, but it took a few tries to get the timing juuust right with the added height meaning added pressure on the molten middles. The first couple collapsed- but were still yummy! :)

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  14. oooh these & slef-saucing puddings are totally my winter ultimate!! Or maybe a gooey chocolate pie... mmm. Love the look of these, using almond meal = best.
    Heidi xo

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    1. Why did you mention chocolate pie before I've eaten my dinner? Now it's all I can think about! Yummmm....

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  15. YUM, love a good fondant, love what you've done with the raspberries too!

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    1. Thanks Jasmyne! It's such a perfectly natural combination isn't it?

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  16. OMG! I have not had a chocolate fondant in a long time. Now I want one. Loving the almond meal in this recipe.

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    1. THanks Sherilyn, wish I could post one off to you! I love almond meal too :)

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  17. I always love a good chocolate winterfruit crumble in wintertime!

    Your hot chocolate fondants look so good & very appetizing, my friend! :) A great job well executed!

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  18. these look delicious and your ramekins are so pretty! I'd love to come to one of your dinner parties (I want to make them at home but I suspect my temperamental oven would meddle with my timing and drive me batty)

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  19. Tried these tonight; really good and very easy. Thanks.

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  20. Am cooking for someone who is lactose intolerant so will let you know how these go.

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  21. Is the temperature fan or normal?

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  22. I use fan, but bear in mind that everyones oven has its own differences and quirks .

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