Here is a recipe that is a big hit in our
Salon de thé. Since 2006 we have been offering our customers and
guests flavours from Angleterre that are often inspired by traditional
French recipes and patisserie. Being a chocoholic and a
passionate baker, our dishes and recipes often feature chocolate, such
as Mexican Chocolate Chili and Chocolat au Fondant. My version of
the latter was actually inspired by reading The Elusive Truffle: Travels
In Search Of The Legendary Food Of France by Mirabel Osler, a book I
would highly recommend to lovers of France, provincial cookery and
travel writing. Not that many chocolate recipes feature in this particular book, but even
so the fondant cake that I make was inspired by reading it and my
version is now a huge hit with our regulars and visitors from overseas
who describe it as
Gourmet….It is also incredibly quick and easy to
make. In addition you can dress it up as a celebration cake if you wish. Another great thing about this cake is the fact that because it is so densely chocolatey it keeps well.
To make your Fondant au Chocolat you will need:
5 large free-range eggs (separated)
2 x 200g of best quality dark chocolate of at least 70%*.
200g butter
200g sugar
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon plain flour or for gluten free add two tablespoons of ground almonds
Method:-
Melt the chocolate, butter and sugar in the microwave until melted and glossy
Separate the eggs and whisk the whites until stiff then add them to the cooled chocolate mixture along with the beaten yolks
Fold in the flour or the almonds and add the salt
Pour into a deep round 20cm non stick tin
Bake for around 40 minutes at 180c. Bake for around 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven. It will still look like chocolate liquid, but
once it cools it will sufficiently harden. What you are aiming for, at
least what I aim for is a hard top and a gooey center.
Serve with fresh raspberries and Crème fraîche.
Alternatively you can pour the mixture into buttered ramekins that
you then coat with a dusting of cocoa and bake in the oven for around 12
minutes. These are great served piping hot from the oven with a scoop
of vanilla ice cream on the side.
For a variations on this theme you can add
a hint of chili or
a splash of dark, smokey coffee or a
hint of your favourite liqueur such as Amaretto, or a rich chocolate or berry liqueur
The Queen Victoria Sandwich is also popular with our customers
including a chocolate version that I sandwich with chocolate butter
cream or crème fraîche laced with chocolate liqueur and filled with
blueberries. Simply scrummy…
A note on the chocolate debate engendered by Michael Roux Jr on his recent BBC programme Chocolate Perfection:-
* Depending on what we have in our store cupboard, for our chocolate
cakes and dishes I might use Lindt Excellence dark chocolate or
Chocolat Menier Pâtissier – personally though and relating to the
current chocolate debate as triggered by Michael Roux’s recent programme
on the BBC, I think that proper French chocolate from a reputable
chocolatier is fabulous if a little expensive for cooking, but I am also
partial to Swiss, Belgium and Dutch chocolate. Droste
chocolate pastilles are a firm favourite in our family. A bar of Cadbury’s
Bournville would also work well in a chocolat au fondant.
This ones a bit wonky, but personally I think that this adds to its luscious chocolate charm!
To make your Fondant au Chocolat you will need:
5 large free-range eggs (separated)
2 x 200g of best quality dark chocolate of at least 70%*.
200g butter
200g sugar
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon plain flour or for gluten free add two tablespoons of ground almonds
Method:-
Melt the chocolate, butter and sugar in the microwave until melted and glossy
Separate the eggs and whisk the whites until stiff then add them to the cooled chocolate mixture along with the beaten yolks
Fold in the flour or the almonds and add the salt
Pour into a deep round 20cm non stick tin
Bake for around 40 minutes at 180c. Bake for around 40 minutes.
Remove from the oven. It will still look like chocolate liquid, but once it cools it will sufficiently harden. What you are aiming for, at least what I aim for is a hard top and a gooey center.
Serve with fresh raspberries and Crème fraîche.
Alternatively you can pour the mixture into buttered ramekins that you then coat with a dusting of cocoa and bake in the oven for around 12 minutes. These are great served piping hot from the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.
For a variations on this theme you can add
a hint of chili or
a splash of dark, smokey coffee or a
hint of your favourite liqueur such as Amaretto, or a rich chocolate or berry liqueur
The Queen Victoria Sandwich is also popular with our customers including a chocolate version that I sandwich with chocolate butter cream or crème fraîche laced with chocolate liqueur and filled with blueberries. Simply scrummy…
A note on the chocolate debate engendered by Michael Roux Jr on his recent BBC programme Chocolate Perfection:-
* Depending on what we have in our store cupboard, for our chocolate cakes and dishes I might use Lindt Excellence dark chocolate or Chocolat Menier Pâtissier – personally though and relating to the current chocolate debate as triggered by Michael Roux’s recent programme on the BBC, I think that proper French chocolate from a reputable chocolatier is fabulous if a little expensive for cooking, but I am also partial to Swiss, Belgium and Dutch chocolate. Droste chocolate pastilles are a firm favourite in our family. A bar of Cadbury’s Bournville would also work well in a chocolat au fondant.
This ones a bit wonky, but personally I think that this adds to its luscious chocolate charm!