Melting Middle Chocolate Puddings

The perfect dessert to end off a romantic Valentine’s Day dinner, these melting middle chocolate puddings are rich and gooey - just add some vanilla ice cream or softly whipped cream to serve.

Recipe by Naomi Hansell.

• Ingredients

  50g butter

  2 tsp cocoa powder plus a little extra for dusting

  40g good quality dark chocolate, min 70% cocoa, broken into small chunks

  40g caster sugar

  1 egg and 1 egg yolk (see note)

  40g plain flour

  You will need 2 mini pudding basins approx. 150ml. The Portmeirion for AGA Yorkshire Pudding & Muffin Tray is perfect, just use 2 of the holes for this recipe.

• Method

  1. First prepare the pudding basins. Put the butter into a small heatproof dish and set aside to melt on the back of the AGA or in the AGA warming oven for 5 - 10 mins. Use a little of the melted butter to brush the insides of the pudding basins. (Just butter 2 of the holes if using the Portmeirion for AGA Yorkshire Pudding & Muffin Tray). Put 1 tsp of cocoa powder in each tin or hole, tilt to cover the sides as well as the bottom and gently shake out any excess.

  2. Add the chocolate chunks to the remaining butter and set aside to melt again for 5 - 10 mins.

  3. While the chocolate is melting, whisk the egg and egg yolk with 40g caster sugar until thick and bouncy.

  4. Stir the melted chocolate and butter until smooth and add to the egg mixture, stirring gently. Add the flour and stir again gently until well combined.

  5. Divide the mixture between the buttered and cocoa-dusted holes, it should come nearly to the top leaving a little space for the puddings to rise.

  6. Bake in the AGA roasting oven, on the 4th set of runners from the top, for 12 mins. Be careful not to overcook or the middles won’t be melting.

  7. Once, cooked, dust the top of the puddings with a little cocoa. To turn out, place a large plate or board gently on the puddings and turn out together. Transfer to separate plates if needed.

  8. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or a little softly whipped double cream.

  Making in Advance

  Completely prepare the puddings but do not bake. Freeze in the tins or muffin tray until needed then bake from frozen for 16 - 18 mins. Serve as above.

  To bake in a conventional oven, preheat the oven to 200 °C and bake as above.