Melting Middle Chocolate Fondant Cakes

Every cook who loves to entertain should have an easy little dessert recipe up their sleeve, that's, not only easy to execute, but also pretty failproof, delicious and impressive.



I make a lot of these up at the big house where I work. They entertain a lot up there, and to a high standard. This is one of their favourite desserts that I make and serve.



I like it because I can make it up several days ahead of time and then just put it quickly together on the day of the party.



You need to plan the baking carefully. If you leave them in the oven too long, they will not be melting in the middle, and they do start to solidify upon standing and cooling down, so serve them almost as soon as you take them out of the oven.

They're good the next day though, just fudgy and a bit more solid, not melting.



Up at the big house, they like them with a dusting of icing sugar and sitting in a pool of homemade raspberry coulis.

Myself . . . I just like them full stop, but a dollop of clotted cream is my preferred choice. Can you spell H E A V E N??? I thought so . . . well, now you can taste it.



*Melting Middle Chocolate Fondant Cakes*
Makes 10
Printable Recipe

These are tasty little chocolate treasures, with a gooey chocolate centre, just heavenly for any chocolate lover. You can accompany these with some fresh raspberry coulis, which is delicious, but for myself, I prefer them with a dollop of clotted cream, and why not? In for a penny, in for a pound! This is a very popular dessert for the dinner parties where I work. One great thing about it is that the batter can be made several days in advance and chilled, covered. Then on the day you just spoon it into the prepared ramekins and bake, easy peasy, lemon squeasy!

12 ounces good quality dark semisweet chocolate
8 ounces unsalted butter
1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
6 large eggs
To serve:
sifted icing sugar (optional)
clotted cream
vanilla ice cream
raspberry coulis



Place the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Cook and stir until melted and well combined. Set aside to cool. Place the sugar, flour and eggs in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until it is very thick and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture. (At this point you can cover it and place it in the refrigerator to chill. Proceed as follows when you are ready to bake them.

Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Butter 10 individual ramekins very well. Divide the batter amongst them evenly. Place on a baking tray and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are just firm and the centre is loose. Remove from the oven immediately. (They firm up upon standing, so you want to pretty much serve them right away!) Dump them out onto individual serving plates and serve with your desired garnish.

Sour Milk Chocolate Cake

I opened a new jug of milk yesterday only to discover that it had all gone sour, and it wasn't even near it's sell by date either! It wasn't worth the expensive of the petrol to take it back to the shops . . .

It wasn't even worth shedding any tears . . . quite the contrary actually . . .

It was a wonderful opportunity to make this delicious chocolate cake. Moistly moreish, this cake is a winner in every sense of the word. Rich, chocolatey and scrumdiddlyumptious!!

Actually we did not keep it in our house . . . much too dangerous for that. Todd had to go do some home teaching yesterday afternoon and so I sent it with him.

I know, I know . . . a piece was missing . . . but as anybody knows, you don't look a gift horse in it's mouth . . . or cake horse as it were.

Besides, everyone knows me by now . . . things often have pieces missing. Such is the trial of being the friend of a food blogger . . . the fringe benefits are well worth it though. Free cake.

*Sour Milk Chocolate Cake*
Makes one 13 x 9 x 2 cake
(Or one deep 12 inch round)
Printable Recipe

This is wonderfully moist and rich. You don't really need a frosting on it, but I have included a tasty brown sugar frosting that really is the icing on the cake!

1 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 cup sugar
3 TBS baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup sour milk
1/4 cup hot water
1 TBS vanilla


Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Grease your cake tin and lightly dust it with flour, shaking out any excess. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl. Mix together the egg, butter, sour milk, hot water and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients. Beat (preferably with an electric mixer) for 2 minutes on medium speed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until it tests done when a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. NO need to remove from the pan.

Note - To sour sweet milk, place 1 TBS of vinegar in a measuring cup and add enough milk to make up 1 cup of liquid.

*Frosting*
Makes enough to frost the top of one cake

1/4 cup butter
2 TBS soft light brown sugar
3/4 cup sifted icing sugar
2 TBS cream
3/4 cup chopped pecans

Place the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Stir in cream and whisk to blend well. Stir in the icing sugar until it is creamy and spreadable. (You may need more) Spread on top of cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.