© J Sainsbury plc 2020
Via: PR
Chocolate and star anise fondants
Nadiya says: Chocolate fondants have a horrible reputation of being among the scariest desserts to bake, but this is a safe and easy recipe for a melt-in-the-middle sensation. Crusty on the outside, warm and gooey on the inside – with the distinctive, lingering aroma of anise"
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Ready in 35 minutes
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Cooking time 15 minutes
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Prep time 20 minutes
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Serves 8
Ingredients
- 200g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for coating
- Cocoa powder, for dusting
- 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), melted
- 200g caster sugar
- 4 whole medium eggs, plus 4 egg yolks
- 200g plain flour, sifted
- 4 tsp star anise, ground with a pestle and mortar and passed through a fine sieve
Method
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1
Brush 8 ramekins with melted butter, making upward strokes. Place the ramekins on a baking tray in the freezer for 10 minutes. Brush them once more with melted butter, then put them back in the freezer for 10 minutes. Take them out and dust the insides with cocoa powder, making sure to tap out any excess.
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2
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, being careful not to allow the bowl to touch the water. Roughly chop the butter and add to the chocolate, stirring until it melts.
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3
Whisk the sugar and eggs until they are light and fluffy and doubled in size. This will take about 5 minutes in a stand mixer, or 5–10 minutes with a handheld mixer. Add the butter and chocolate mixture and mix everything together. Now add the flour and star anise and fold in using a large metal spoon.
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4
Put the ramekins on a baking tray. Divide the mixture between the ramekins, leaving a 1cm gap at the top of each. Cook for 10–12 minutes. The fondants will start to come away from the sides of the ramekins.
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5
Take the fondants out of the oven, and leave in the ramekins for 1 minute. They will still be hot, but they need to be turned out straight away and served, otherwise the residual heat will cook them right through.
