Chocolate Espresso Fondants

This is the perfect get-ahead dessert to impress your guests with, and it has a deliciously tempting gooey middle every time.

Originally for Good Housekeeping November 2021, Alex Luck Photography, Food Styling, Me

Hands-on time 20min, plus cooling
and chilling. Cooking time about 20min. Makes 6

150g butter, chopped, plus extra to grease

Cocoa powder, to dust

150g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped

2tbsp instant espresso powder

50ml coffee liqueur, we used Kahlúa

3 medium eggs and 3 medium egg yolks

150g caster sugar

150g plain flour

1 Grease 6 dariole moulds well with butter, then dust with cocoa powder to coat, tapping out excess. Chill until needed.

2 Melt the butter, chocolate, espresso powder and coffee liqueur in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until combined. Remove bowl from heat and leave to cool for 10min.

3 Using a freestanding mixer or handheld electric whisk and a large bowl, beat the eggs, yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 5min. Using a large metal spoon, fold in the flour and cooled chocolate mixture. Divide evenly between the prepared moulds. Chill for 1hr (up to 24hr).

4 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Put moulds on a baking tray and bake for 10-12min, until well-risen and the tops appear baked. Remove from oven and leave to sit for 1min, before turning out on small plates. Serve with cream or vanilla ice cream, if you like.

PER FONDANT 445cals, 7g protein, 24g fat (14g saturates), 47g carbs (32g total sugars), 2g fibre

FREEZE AHEAD Once filled, cover the moulds and freeze for up to a month. To serve, uncover and bake from frozen in an oven preheated to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6 for 15-17min. Complete recipe to serve.