Fond of fondants....

Chocolate is the first thing to pass my lips this morning. A finger dipped in a bowl of leftover mixture. It's been left on the side overnight and has solidified into a truffle. I vow not to do it again. Ten minutes later I'm back until I have to fill it with warm water to stop myself having a chocolate breakfast.


Food festivals always put me in this mood. I want to pick at the items I've come home with rather than eat proper meals.


Here's a reminder of some of the best bits of the Porthleven Food and Music Festival....

Although for me one of my favourite bits was being on stage with Jude Kereama and his sous chef Ross from Kota in Porthleven. Jude made duck three ways. I didn't get to try it but the smell on stage was amazing. Then Ross made his chocolate fondants. I'd seen him at the Cornwall Food Festival make them before and I was determined to memorise the recipe. Of course I didn't...I forgot it after about ten minutes so I attempted to make one up for two puddings. It made six.

After homemade pizza for tea with leftover njuda sausage and jalapenos I decided to give the chocolate puddings a go....

Chocolate Puddings...... (serves 6)

100g dark chocolate (the best, darkest chocolate you can get your hands on)

125g/4oz salted butter (plus extra for lining)

3 eggs

1 egg yolk

100g/3oz caster sugar

60g/2oz plain flour

1 heaped tsp baking powder

1 tbsp cocoa

Preheat the oven to about 200'c. In a pan melt a tiny bit of butter. Grease small pudding moulds and pop in the fridge. When the butter has set, repeat.

In a bowl break the eggs, the yolk and add the sugar. Whisk together until thoroughly combined.

In a pan on the lowest heat setting melt the chocolate and butter...

Sieve the flour, baking powder and cocoa into a separate bowl. Take the melted chocolate/butter and leave to cool for five minutes. The pour it into the egg mix and beat. Add the sieved flour mix and fold in.

Pour into the buttered molds.

Then bake in the oven for 8 minutes for a really runny pudding (how I like them) or 10 minutes for a melting middle pudding (like the other half likes them.) This is a 10 minute one....

Serve with ice cream or cream.