Mint chocolate fondant

Ben’s mint chocolate fondant – Makes 4

“Mint chocolate fondant with a gooey molten centre – Yes please! If you don’t know how to make a chocolate fondant then this is the recipe for you, guaranteed to give you a rich, gooey, decadent dessert with a refreshing minty twist to enjoy at home..” – Ben Johnson, Exec Head Chef.

For the white mint chocolate ganache you’ll need:

• 100ml double cream
• 15g picked mint leaves
• 200g white chocolate, finely chopped

For the fondant puddings you’ll need:

• 50g unsalted butter, plus extra, softened, to grease
• 2 tsp cocoa powder, to dust
• 50g good-quality dark, bitter chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids), in pieces
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 60g caster sugar
• 10g Maldon sea salt
• 50g plain flour, sifted
• Crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream, to serve

Method for the mint white chocolate ganache:

Put the cream and mint leaves in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside to infuse for an hour.

Place your chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Strain the liquid mixture, then return to the saucepan and bring back to a simmer. Pour the minty cream over your white chocolate and whisk well until combined.

Pour into a small plastic container and pop in the fridge to set for about one hour. Once set, make teaspoon sized balls of ganache and refrigerate on a plate until needed.

Method for the fondant puddings:

Heat the oven to 160°C/325°F/gas mark 3. Butter four 7.5cm dariole moulds (ideally non-stick) or ramekins and place in the fridge for about 10 minutes to firm up the butter.

Butter the moulds again and dust liberally with cocoa powder. Place in the fridge while you prepare the fondant mixture.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a small bowl set over a pan of hot water. Take off the heat and stir until smooth.

Using an electric whisk, beat the whole egg, egg yolk and sugar together until pale and thick, then fold in the chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour and salt.

Pour the chocolate batter into your prepared moulds until each is one third full, then cover and refrigerate until firm – about 30 minutes.

Remove from the fridge and place a single ball of white chocolate ganache in the middle of each mould. Distribute the remaining chocolate batter evenly into the four moulds, then cover and return to the fridge for at least one hour.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Bake the fondants on a baking tray in the middle of the oven for 9 minutes.

Remove from the oven, carefully invert one fondant over a plate and lift the mould off. Repeat the process with the remaining puddings, then serve immediately, with a dollop of crème fraîche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.