Our take on Delia Smith’s melting chocolate puddings

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C and brush 8 ramekins with melted butter (see cook’s note). Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Allow the chocolate and butter to melt slowly.
2. Place the sugar, eggs, yolks and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric beater until the mixture has doubled in volume, 5–10 minutes. It should leave a trail like a ribbon.
3. Pour in the melted chocolate and fold to combine. Sift in the flour and gently fold together using a large metal spoon. Divide the mixture between the prepared ramekins and place on a baking tray.
4. Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 12 minutes. The puddings should rise and feel fairly firm to the touch. Allow to stand for 1 minute, then turn out onto plates. Serve hot with cream or ice cream.

Cook’s notes: Make the mixture in the morning to save time later. Brush the ramekins with melted butter in an upward stroke to help the fondants rise Mix 2 T caster sugar and 1 t cocoa powder and use to dust the ramekins before baking. This ensures they’ll rise well.

"When Delia Smith’s How to Cook first aired on television, I was in standard 5 and the whole family watched in rapt attention. I distinctly remember learning how to cook eggs during that show. When the books made it to South Africa, we bought them all. One day, my older brother attempted the chocolate fondant and it instantly became our go-to dessert for entertaining. My parents have friends who still ask if it’ll be served for pudding when they’re invited over. We’ve done a gluten-free one, too – it works well because the actual volume of flour used is so small, so it’s not very much affected. "– Katharine Pope 

This recipe part of a feature in our July 2020 issue where TASTE team members shared their favourite hot puddings.

Photograph: Sadiqah Assur-Ismail

Production: Jacqueline Burgess

Food assistant: Claire- Ellen Van Rooyen