Chocolate Fondant

When my sister asked me for a Chocolate Fondant recipe, I told her, "it should be simple right? After all, you and I have been baking since forever. And it doesn't seem to difficult."
Wrong. I've been sadly proven wrong. Somehow I've got this bee in my bonnet I'd make anything but a fruit cake this year and hence a lot of other things make their way out of my oven. Chocolate fondant has been going on the past couple of days. My colleagues at work have been quite pleased that I'm so keen on fondant cos I take all my disappointments boxed up to work.



I'm fairly sure I have the recipe correct. But my oven is failing when it comes to the temperature department. All the recipes I've seen indicate 12 mins for room temperature batter, 14 for chilled, and 16 for frozen. Mine's nowhere close to getting done at 12 mins and is literally a puddle when I tip it out. I'm scared to take it out at 16 mins but at 20 is moist and solid but not oozing. Since I've been trying this for a couple of days, I thought I'd take a break in between before working it to the just flowing consistency I'm looking for. I probably should stop at 16, but let me work up my guts to that. Probably after a nice long x'mas break at home.


This recipe is from The Guardian website. The guy went through a lot of recipes before hitting the perfect one. On closer look, almost all recipes are multiples of this same recipe. The best part about this recipe? It's just two portions, just right to experiment and get right. If you're looking to serve a larger number of people, just multiply. Also, as long as you aren't trying to be brave and tipping it onto a plate, based on trial, I can say that anywhere around 14 mins works just fine.

Ingredients

60g    bittersweet chocolate chopped into smaller pieces
60g    unsalted butter diced
60g    sugar
1 egg + 1 yolk
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp cocoa
1 tsp melted butter to coat.

Preheat oven to 200C. Brush melted butter on the insides of 2 ramekins (they say using upward motion). Coat the entire inside surface of the bowls till the rim.
Put cocoa powder in ramekin and rotate till it dusts the inside surface evenly. Keep aside while prepping batter.
Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler till just melted. Cool for 10 mins.
Whisk egg, yolk and sugar till pale and thick.
Fold in melted chocolate in 3 parts.
Add flour and fold in.
(At this point you can chill/freeze the batter)
Pour into prepared ramekins and bake for anywhere over 12 mins depending on the consistency you want. (Be sure your oven temp is ok, unlike mine :( )
If batter is chilled/frozen, you do not need to bring it to room temp. Just pour and bake to 14 mins+ for chilled and 16 mins+ for frozen.
Bake till the tops have risen and batter has started releasing from the sides.
Rest for 1 minute once out of oven.
To serve on plate, run a knife gently around the outer edge to release. Cover with plate and flip it and jiggle a bit to release.
Sprinkle icing sugar on top, serve with ice cream, whipped cream, creme anglaise, caramel sauce, fruits. So many options. I even tried mishti doi since I'm currently on a mishti doi phase.
It certainly looks pretty enough to attempt atleast once even if doesn't turn out perfectly oozing.


This post also gives me an insight, I should actually move away from auto and step into manual settings of the camera. This one is entirely on auto mode while the Strawberry Chocolate Bread Pudding is completely manual.
Which one do you like more?