Culinary cuteness and my favourite chocolate dessert!
The first dessert I made for Francesco.
Ingredients (metric)
- 50 grams soft unsalted butter (plus more for greasing)
- 350 grams dark chocolate
- 150 grams caster sugar
- 4 large eggs (beaten with pinch of salt)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 50 grams plain flour (or Italian 00)
Method
Unless you are making these up in advance, preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC Fan/gas mark 6/400ºF, putting in a baking sheet at the same time. I prefer making them in advance, putting them in little baby cake moulds and freezing them. They turn out better.
Melt the chocolate and let it cool slightly.
Cream together the butter and sugar, and gradually beat in the eggs and salt, then the vanilla.
Now add the flour, and when all is smoothly combined scrape in the cooled chocolate, blending it to a smooth batter.
Divide the batter between the moulds.
Cook for 10-12 minutes (the extra 2 minutes will be needed if the puddings are fridge-cold when you start) and as soon as you take them out of the oven, tip out these luscious babycakes onto small plates or shallow bowls.
Serve these with passion fruit or ice cream.