Melt-in-the-middle chocolate pudding

How many of you have dessert after a weekday dinner? I've never really had a sweet tooth but N has and his bad influence has definitely rubbed off on me. We don't have a formal dessert every evening but we do tend to have something sweet after dinner. It might just be a fruit yoghurt or some ice cream or perhaps just a little piece of chocolate. It's still 5 days till Christmas and we've already run out of chocolates on our Christmas tree!

Once in a while though, I do like to have a real dessert in the evening. Sometimes I buy some profiteroles or a mousse from Marks and Spencers but I'd really love to make one myself more often, if only I had the time. This recipe solves all those problems. Not only is it a chocoholics delight but it's super quick to prepare (approx 10 mins) and takes only 20 mins to cook so as soon you sit down to eat dinner just pop it in to the oven. It's also perfect for a dinner party as it can be made earlier in the day and then just cooked when you need it. It looks best if you make them in individual ramekins but as I now realise that's the one thing my kitchen is lacking. It's probably a bit late to put that on my Christmas list but if anyone who's planning to buy me a gift is stuck for ideas....

Melt-in-the-middle chocolate pudding

(serves 2 | total prep and cooking time approx 30 mins)

 

 

Ingredients 

•  50g unsalted butter + extra to grease
• 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 40g caster sugar
• 50g plain flour
• 50g chocolate (min 70% cocoa)

Method

• Heat the oven to 160 degrees fan
• Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bain marie
• Take off the heat and leave to cool
• Whisk together the egg, egg yolk and sugar
• Butter the ramekin(s) and dust with cocoa powder. Shake of any excess
• Whisk the cooled chocolate into the eggs and sugar mixture
• Sift the flour and stir in to the mixture
• Transfer into the ramekin(s)
• Bake for 20 mins