For the chocoholics

Chocolate Fondant

200 gms dark chocolate

100 gms butter

 3 eggs

2/3 cup (150 gms) castor sugar

1/4 cup (40gms) self raising flour

Preheat oven to 180°C

• Melt together the chocolate and butter in a bowl over simmering water. Set aside to cool.
• Butter 6 ramekins very well and sprinkle cocoa powder inside to thoroughly coat. I add a small square of baking paper in the bottom to make turning out less stressfull.
• Beat the eggs and sugar together until thick and pale.
• Pour warm chocolate mixture over eggs and sugar.
• Sift the flour into the mix.
• Fold gently together.
• Pour into 3/4 cup ramekins.
• Bake 12-15 minutes. The center should still be a little wobbly to the touch. 
• Stand for a few minutes, loosen around the edges with a knife and turn onto plates.

I like to serve these with berries and icecream.

There you go, a dessert for a special treat. Enjoy.

Melting the chocolate and butter. I used 70% Lindt chocolate. Don't let the simmering water touch the bowl.

Beat eggs and sugar until thick and pale.

Ramekins buttered and coated with cocoa, I added the square of paper inside on the bottom.

It will probably look something like this when cooked. If you overcook them, you won't have the flowing chocolate center but it'll still be a nice moist dessert. You'll have to judge when they're at this stage by your own oven, it may take more or less time.

You can keep the uncooked mixture in the ramekins for a couple of days or even freeze them. That makes it a great do ahead dessert.

Thanks to everyone who left some tips on how to minimise the damage I was doing to my fingers. I found this at the local pharmacy and sprayed some into a container and dipped my finger in it. I also had some thimble its and cut one in half and now use that with ease. I also like the pad of leather you can buy on my right hand on the finger that pushes on the eye of the needle.

I even managed to get another couple of blocks sewn without saying ouch once. Only a few more to go.

I've been asked what the interfacing was that I used on the pincushion. It was Peltex (Pellon) double sided ultra firm satbiliser and the number on the packaging is 72F.