Very few people I know can resist a molten chocolate cake and I’m definitely one of them. They’re the ultimate indulgence even though their preparation is quite simple. They reign over practically every restaurant’s dessert menu from the fanciest to the hole-in-the-wall and even their extra wait time would held in place the most hurried dinners. Countless times have I stared at a creative and tempting dessert card filled with seasonal marvels of mousse, puffs, pies and unique puddings only to relinquish my sweet curiosity for the familiar and exquisite pleasure of digging my spoon into a chocolate fondant and witness the thick wave of warm chocolate flowing on the plate…
There’s no reason to reserve this enjoyment exclusively to restaurant nights as it’s fairly easy to make at home and I can’t think of a better way to have your dinner guests drooling in anticipation when you’ll pop it in the oven for a brief 10-15 minutes right before dessert time. There are plenty of the classic and very chocolaty versions out there to try but I was immediately attracted to the marriage of chocolate and hazelnuts found here, not that usual. It’s still irresistibly good though slightly less sweet and you get the reward of biting into nutty bursts of roasted hazelnuts.
All the tasks involved are really simple and quick and the only key thing here is the baking time which will determine the amount of gooeyness your cake will have. Not to worry, even if you were to slightly overcook it, it would still come out extremely soft and delectable, almost impossible to ruin. Serve it warm straight at the table so everyone can see the melting goodness when you dig the serving spoon in… there’s no better communal dessert than this.
Hazelnut Fondant
Adapted from Elle a Table [1]
Active time: 10 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes
Makes 6 servings
200g milk chocolate
50g cornstarch
100g sugar
100g butter
100g whole hazelnuts
4 eggs
zest from 1 orange
Equipment
A 20cm x 15cm baking dish
Melt the chocolate with the butter in a bain-marie (water bath).
Whisk the eggs with the sugar until lightened and pale in color, then add the cornstarch.
Add the chocolate, hazelnuts and orange zest to the egg mixture.
Grease and flour your baking dish and pour the mixture in.
Bake in the oven at 325°F (160°) for 10-15 minutes or until the surface gets dry and lightly cracked. Leave it to cool slightly before serving.
