After a recent episode of my favorite TV show, Masterchef, I was inspired to make chocolate fondants. I have made similar things to chocolate fondants before like the molten chocolate cakes, soft centred jaffa puddings, and warm chocolate pots, but never, a chocolate fondant.
First of all Sam stuffed up his fondants, but in the group challenge, the chocolate fondants served at the wedding made me, and most of Australia drool in unison. I knew I had to give them a go as soon as possible!

I made the batter a day ahead to make my life easier. I made the caramel sauce 3 times. I tried 2 times and failed. When I added the cream and butter to the caramel, it would just turn to toffee and it was a massive fail. Not wanting to feel defeated I tried one last time a few hours later just before serving and got it to work. The key is do not plonk the cream and butter in and stir, add them gradually whilst stirring and it will work. I did have a few toffee shards so I just strained the sauce through a sift.

Other than that, it was relatively easy to make. If you over cook them, you won't get a gooey centre, which is the key to a good chocolate fondant. I think the caramel sauce is a must, as it has a nice sweetness. I served mine with vanilla ice cream and we all in dessert heaven for a brief moment.
You can make them in ramekins, disposable tins, or like I did, in a muffin tray.

Chocolate Fondant
Gordon Ramsay

50g melted butter , for brushing
cocoa powder , for dusting
200g good-quality dark chocolate , chopped into small pieces
200g butter , in small pieces
200g golden caster sugar
4 eggs and 4 yolks
200g plain flour
Caramel sauce (see 'Goes well with') and vanilla ice cream or orange sorbet, to serve

1. First get your moulds ready. Using upward strokes, heavily brush the melted butter all over the inside of the pudding mould. Place the mould in the fridge or freezer. Brush more melted butter over the chilled butter, then add a good spoonful of cocoa powder into the mould. Tip the mould so the powder completely coats the butter. Tap any excess cocoa back into the jar, then repeat with 1 the next mould.

2. Place a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then slowly melt the chocolate and butter together. Remove bowl from the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for about 10 mins.

3. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and yolks together with the sugar until thick and pale and the whisk leaves a trail; use an electric whisk if you want. Sift the flour into the eggs, then beat together.

4. Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture in thirds, beating well between each addition, until all the chocolate is added and the mixture is completely combined to a loose cake batter.

5. Tip the fondant batter into a jug, then evenly divide between the moulds. The fondants can now be frozen for up to a month and cooked from frozen. Chill for at least 20 mins or up to the night before. To bake from frozen, simply carry on as stated, adding 5 mins more to the cooking time.

6. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place the fondants on a baking tray, then cook for 10-12 mins until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the sides of their moulds. Remove from the oven, then leave to sit for 1 min before turning out.

7. Loosen the fondants by moving the tops very gently so they come away from the sides, easing them out of the moulds. Tip each fondant slightly onto your hand so you know it has come away, then tip back into the mould ready to plate up.

8. Starting from the middle of each plate, squeeze a spiral of caramel sauce - do all the plates you need before you go on to the next stage.

9. Sit a fondant in the middle of each plate. Using a large spoon dipped in hot water, scoop a 'quenelle' of ice cream.

10. Carefully place the ice cream on top of the fondant, then serve immediately. Repeat with the rest of the fondants.

Tins or ramekins?
As we make the fondants in such great volumes in my restaurants we use disposable 150ml aluminium muffin tins, but ramekins work just as well. The cooking times I have given here are for ramekins but if you want to use the muffin tins then 10 mins in the oven will be fine.

9 puddings for 8 guests
If you are making the fondants for a dinner party I would advise you cook one extra as an 'insurance policy' that you can test for doneness. If everything goes according to plan I'm sure there will be no shortage of guests wanting second helpings.

Variations

Once you have mastered the fondants it's very easy to adapt their flavour. For a boozy version add a generous splash of Baileys to the melted chocolate. You can also make a chocolate and orange version by adding the finely grated zest of 1 large orange and an optional splash of orange liqueur.

Serves 9.

Voila! Bon Appétit!

I was debating whether or not I would go to the Melbourne Good Food & Wine Show this year. I had never been before so didn't really know what it was all about, and whether it would be worth it or not. But I did know I wanted to see Gordon Ramsay.
Luckily I didn't have to decide for too long, I was contacted and given 2 tickets to attend. I decided to go on the first day of the festival, which was on Friday, figuring most people would be at work or going away early for the long weekend.

The highlight of the day was meeting celebrity chefs!

George Calombaris and Gary Mehigan from Masterchef, Dominique Rizzo and the star attraction, Gordon Ramsay!
I regretted leaving my Press Club cookbook at home, as I could have got George to sign it, but I did buy a Gordon Ramsay book and got him to sign it!

In the LG celebrity theatre, Gordon Ramsay, Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris, Toby Puttock & Matt Moran did cooking demonstrations. Gary and George were a cracker team, swearing far more than Gordon Ramsay!

To get the crowd pumped before each show, Alistar McLeod played some games with the audience, and Nerdy Rob ended up getting on stage, dancing the YMCA and winning some Harty's wine, an apron and a rice and risotto cooker!

There was also the BBC Good Food stage, as seen here Peter Evans doing a cooking demo.
The picture on the far left is a company called Edible Blooms, I have used them before, they provide a nice alternative to sending someone flowers.

The amount of food and wine was just mind blowing. So many traders offering free samples and selling produce. There was also a restaurant serving signature dishes from Gary Mehigan, Gordon Ramsay, Alistar McLeod & Toby Puttock.

Starting clockwise from top left:
- Biscuits from Biscottini, I sampled a pistachio pear biscuit and it was delicious!
- Cinnamon donut, 4 for $5
- Baby Cakes cupcakes, I've had these before and they are some of the best cupcakes in Melbourne.

Starting clockwise from top left:
- Glace fruit by Pomona
- One of the many chocolate stands
- Organic chocolate by Organic Times, so amazing we bought some to take home
- Sauces, puddings and goodies by Red Hill

Phoenix organic drinks and Charlie's homemade lemonade. Rob said the organic cola tasted like "Slade's Cola" and well, the homemade lemonade was so nice and sour, it really quenched my thirst. I really need to find out where I can buy this in Melbourne, if you have any ideas please let me know! The Little Creatures dining hall in Melbourne serves Phoenix drinks.

Haighs was also demonstrating chocolate coated almonds.

Pretzels! This was a very popular stand at the festival. I had a chocolate filled pretzel with chocolate sprinkles. It was so delicious, I did feel rather fat after eating it, but it was so worth it!

This is Julie, I met her in the queue for the Gordon Ramsay book signing. She came all the way from Adelaide for the show and to see Gordon! She has survived breast cancer twice and has such a warm, positive energy, she is a true inspiration.

A big thank you to Johanna Scott for organising my tickets and for going to extra trouble to put aside some Gordon Ramsay show tickets for me! I can't wait to go next year!

Sydney, Brisbane & Perth, check the website for when the show is coming to you!