Soft Centred Chocolate Puddings

These are the most fantastic dinner-party desserts. Get the puddings ready and into their tins, then chill. Take them out of the fridge as soon as your guests arrive, so that they return to room temperature, and, as you clear the table after the main course, just slip them into the oven for a truly fabulous chocolate treat.

• Ready In: 21 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 185  g dark chocolate
• 185  g butter, plus
•  extra butter, for greasing
• 3  eggs, plus
• 3  extra  egg yolks
• 6  tablespoons caster sugar
• 4  teaspoons all-purpose flour
•  cocoa powder, for dusting
•  creme fraiche, to serve

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C.
2. Break the chocolate into a heat proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.
3. Add the butter and leave to melt.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar until thickened.
5. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture, then sieve over the flour and quickly fold together.
6. Divide the mixture between 6 buttered molds or ramekins.
7. Bake the puddings for 6 minutes until the outside is set but the centre is soft.
8. Turn each pudding on to a plate, then gently lift off the moulds.
9. Place a spoonful of creme fraiche on top of each putting and dust with cocoa.
10. Serve immediately.