The Moment the Chocolate Melts

With all this talk of further COVID restrictions, everyone seemed to need a little pick-me-up today. I asked on my Instagram stories for ideas and the majority of you came back with chocolate themes!
These little melting chocolate fondants are a cinch to whip up and can be prepared to the point before they need to go in the oven, stored in the fridge and popped in for 10 minutes to cook before serving. Great for when we ever get back to doing dinner parties for friends & family again.

I use little aluminium dariole moulds but if you don’t have these you can use ovenproof ramekins or teacups. You can buy the dariole moulds online or in your local kitchen shop.

Don’t be tempted to overcook the puds or else you lose some of the melting centre and they should be served straight from the oven with a little dollop of cream of creme fraiche. If you do over cook them, don’t worry as they are still delicious 😉

Melting chocolate fondants on a wooden table.
Melting chocolate fondants in cups on a plate.
Ingredients:
  • 110g butter plus a little extra for greasing the moulds
  • 1 tsp cocoa powder & 1 tsp caster sugar for dusting the moulds
  • 110g caster sugar
  • 110g good quality dark chocolate, min 64% cocoa content
  • 2 free range eggs
  • 2 free range egg yolks
  • 110 g plain flour
Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C reg or 170C fan oven. Grease the moulds then dust with the combination of cocoa powder & caster sugar. Tilt and turn the moulds so it’s well covered then tip out excess (see photo below).

2. Place a metal bowl over simmering water, with butter and chocolate to melt. Stir to combine when melted then leave to the side.
3. In a separate bowl add the eggs, yolks and using an electric mixer, beat until they start to thicken. Gradually add the caster sugar and continue to whisk until it becomes creamy looking, thickens and nearly doubles in size.
4. Add the melted chocolate & butter into the egg mix and beat again until combined. Sift in the flour and whisk again briefly until combined.
5. Divide the mixture between the moulds (I got 6 out of this mix) then you can leave them at this point in the fridge until ready to bake (see image below). When you are ready, they need to be baked for 10 minutes until the top is firm and the middles remain oozy.
6. Remove from oven then leave for 1-2 minutes before tipping out onto a serving plate. If they are a little stuck, run a knife carefully around the sides to loosen the fondants from the tins. Serve immediately with cream or a little sweetened creme fraiche.

"A Magical West Cork Escape"

We stayed at Dunowen House for a long weekend and genuinely didn’t want to leave. From the moment we arrived, we were blown away by the beauty of the house and its surroundings – the views, the gardens, the quiet… it’s pure magic. The house itself is full of character and history but still feels incredibly cosy and luxurious.

We loved having our morning coffee overlooking the sea and strolling down to the nearby coves. It was the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. Clonakilty is only a few minutes away too, so we had some lovely meals out and picked up bits from the local markets.

"A Dream Wedding Come to Life"

We were blown away with the unmatched beauty of Dunowen – the set- ting, the people and all the details make it come to life. We feel so blessed to have had our wedding here and so grateful for Kela and Stephen for making this the most special day of our lives. We are leaving a piece of our hearts here so we will absolutely have to come back again. All our love

"An Unforgettable Celebration of Love"

I could not have imagined a more beautiful stay and wedding. We took a chance and put our trust in Kela and Stephen, booking Dunowen sight un- seen! What a wonderful experience to celebrate our love with the people we care about most without having to worry about the details. The flow- ers, the food and the accommodations were unforgettable. Thank you for giving us the space to create lifetime memories! Dunowen will have a piece of our heart. We hope to come back and do it again!

"A Perfect Stay"

Kela and Stephen. Thank you for our wonderful stay at Dunowen House and letting us enjoy the beauty of West Cork in your wonderful home and surroundings. We absolutely loved it.

"Another Unforgettable Stay"

Thank you Kela & Stephen for another amazing stay. When you’ve stayed in Dunowen it’s impossible to stay elsewhere. Your house is per- fection!

"A Perfect 70th Celebration"

Many thanks Kela and Stephen for a wonderful stay at Dunowen House. The house is so spacious, especially for our smallish family group who helped me celebrate my 70th birthday. Thanks for the beautiful flowers throughout and all the home baking. We loved the location.

"Surrounded by Dunowen’s Gardens and Coastal Beauty"

Thank you for a wonderful week. Everything was perfect and we loved being able to walk to the beach and sit in the beautiful gardens. Hope to come again.

"A Perfect 80th Birthday Celebration"

The end of a fabulous week celebrating my 80th birthday. It has been a brilliant stay with everything we needed. Just perfect. Thank you so much Kela & Stephen for your thought and kindness. All the best for the future and perhaps we will see you again!

The Ultimate 5-Star Escape

Bravo! You have created the perfect backdrop for a 5 star vacation. Our group of 18 could not have imagined a more comfortable and luxe week. I’ll see you on Instagram and we will all see you again in person next va- cation.

Flowers and fruits cake close up Flowers and fruits cake close up