Chocolate soft centre puddings are little chocolate fondants, a delicious and simple dessert. Chef Proprietor John Campbell of Michelin starred gastropub The Woodspeen in Berkshire, UK, inspired me with his baked chocolate fondants, then I decided to try steaming the puddings with my Thermomix, with reliable and very impressive results – the centres are always molten. Be aware though, you’ll need to make sure your guests are seated at the table, ready for their desserts to arrive, because these wonderful soft centre chocolate puddings should be served within a few minutes!
Serve them with a dollop of thick Jersey cream, double cream or a scoop of good (made in your Thermomix!) vanilla ice cream.
This recipe is suitable for TM6, TM5 and TM31.
Method
- Use 3 tsp soft butter to generously grease 6 small ovenproof dariole moulds (6 cm deep by 6 cm diameter at the top) or small ramekins (they need to fit in Varoma dish in a single layer), add 2 tsp sugar to one pot and tip/rotate so sugar covers the buttered base and sides, then transfer loose sugar to next pot and repeat until all are coated with butter and sugar (use more sugar if required); arrange in Varoma dish then place in fridge to chill.
- Heat chocolate and remaining 50 g butter 2 min/50°C/speed 3.
- Scrape down sides of TM bowl with spatula, then heat again 2 min/50°C/speed 2 or longer, until completely melted and smooth.
- Place a jug or bowl on TM lid, set scales to zero and weigh in egg whites, then whisk them briskly with a fork until ‘loose’ with no heavy parts. Avoiding TM blade unit, add sugar, ground rice and approx. 50 g fork-whisked egg whites to TM bowl, then mix 30 sec/speed 2.
- Scrape down sides of TM bowl with spatula, then set 1 min/speed 3 and slowly add remaining egg whites through hole in TM lid. Scrape down sides of TM bowl with spatula and stir in any excess egg white, then transfer to prepared pots until each is ⅔ full.
- Clean TM bowl, then add 500 g water to it, set covered Varoma with puddings in position on TM lid, steam 20 min/Varoma/speed 1 (see 3rd tip) or until outsides of puddings start to set and centres are still a little runny, then leave to rest 5 minutes. Hold dariole mould with an oven glove, invert pudding onto a plate, repeat with remaining puddings, then serve straight away.