Vanuatu Malekula Island 72% Cocoa Chocolate lends beautiful notes of Cherry, Soft Lemon & White Grape to this rich, volcanic fondant. Espresso lends a rich earthiness to deepen the cocoa notes. A tangy, silky blueberry chocolate caramel sauce is the perfect foil for this decadent dessert.
Makes 4
Fondant:
2 Eggs Plus 2 Yolks
100g Vanuatu 72% Dark Chocolate, melted
100g Unsalted Butter, plus extra for greasing
100g Icing Sugar
10g Cocoa Powder, plus extra for dusting
5g Espresso Powder
25g Plain Flour
Pinch Salt
Blueberry Chocolate Caramel:
100g Caster Sugar
200ml Double Cream
80ml Blueberry Juice
100g Butter, softened
50g Vanuatu 72% Dark Chocolate, broken into pieces
METHOD
- Start with the fondants. Grease and liberally cocoa 4 Dariole Moulds and set aside in the fridge.
- Cream the butter and icing sugar until light, pale and fluffy (a stand mixer is best for this). Add the eggs and yolks and beat. The mixture will split but this is fine at this point.
- Add the melted chocolate and beat gently until just homogenous. Sift over the flour, espresso, cocoa and salt and mix until just combined.
- Use the mix to fill a piping bag. Fill each mould with equal amounts of the batter (about 110g or so) and place in the fridge for 2-3 hours.
- Meanwhile make the caramel. In a frying pan, sprinkle over some of the sugar in a single layer and heat over a medium heat. As the sugar begins to melt in patches, sprinkle over a little more to cover the patches, as if you were filling the gaps. This method of making a direct caramel ensures that you stay in control. Do not at any point stir the caramel or it will crystallise, just swirl to mix.
- Once all the sugar has melted, increase the heat until it forms a deep amber in colour. Whisk in the cream and blueberry juice. It will splutter and the caramel will seize on the whisk but keep whisking and it will all come back.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter bit by bit until you have a silky caramel. Whisk in the chocolate in the same way. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven 180C. When ready take the fondants straight from the fridge and place on the middle shelf. Cook for 10-12 minutes (mine take 11) and leave to rest for 1 minute before turning out onto a plate.
- Reheat the caramel over a gentle heat if needed and serve over the fondant. Serve immediately.
- The fondants will keep unbaked in the fridge for 3 days. I always do a test run to see exactly how long the fondants will take using one fondant as a guide for the rest.
Recipe by @gourmetglow or head to her website www.gourmetglow.co.uk for more recipes.
