Why do we crave chocolate? It’s not just the taste. Chocolate contains phenylethlamene, a natural substance that is reputed to stimulate the same reaction in the body as falling in love.
You will certainly fall in love with these warm, sensuous, dark chocolate puddings that hide a surprise as you cut into them. I have a weakness for those colour-coded, foil-wrapped Lindt Lindor chocolate truffles with the creamy chocolate fillings. I have popped one of the white truffles (the ones in the gold wrapper) into the centre of each of these individual puddings so that when you put your spoon in, creamy, white-chocolate truffle comes flowing out.
The combination of the dark chocolate, melted white chocolate centre and cold vanilla ice cream makes this one of my all-time favourite desserts. You can prepare it ahead and then just bake it in the oven 15 minutes before you are ready to serve.
Makes 3 (easily doubled)
Ingredients
● 110g (4oz) butter, plus extra melted butter for greasing
● 150g (5 ½ oz) dark chocolate
● 1 whole egg
● 2 yolks, at room temperature
● 3 tbsp caster sugar
● ½ tsp vanilla
● 1 tbsp cornflour
● 3 white chocolate truffles (we used Lindt Lindor)
● Vanilla ice-cream, to serve
Method
● Preheat oven to 190˚c/375˚F/gas 5/fan 170˚c. Generously butter 3 mini metal pudding basins and line the bases with circles of baking parchment.
● Break the chocolate into small pieces and put it into a heatproof bowl.
● Add the butter and put the bowl over a saucepan of warm water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
● Melt the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally, until smooth then set aside to cool slightly.
● Put the eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and beat, using an electric mixer on high speed for about 4 to 6 minutes until very pale and about 4 times original volume.
● Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Add the cornflour and whisk together to make a batter.
● Spoon 2 tbsp of the chocolate batter into the base of the each mould and place one truffle in each.
● Spoon over the remaining batter, covering up the truffles. Put the moulds on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes, until just set on the surface.
● Leave for 2 minutes, turn onto plates and serve straight away with vanilla ice-cream.
● You can prepare these in advance and then bake them in the oven about 15 minutes before you are ready to eat them.
