Chocolate Fondant

First, get 6 pudding moulds ready. Using upward strokes, heavily brush melted butter all over the inside of the pudding mould. Place the mould in the fridge or freezer. Brush more melted butter over the chilled butter, then add a good spoonful of cocoa powder into the mould. Tip the mould so the powder completely coats the butter. Tap any excess cocoa back into the jar, then repeat with the next mould.

Place a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, then slowly melt your dark chocolate and butter together. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir until smooth. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, whisk 4 eggs and 4 egg yolks together with 200g of caster sugar until thick and pale, and the whisk leaves a trail; use an electric whisk if you want. Sift 200g of plain flour into the eggs, then beat together.

Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture in thirds, beating well between each addition, until all the chocolate is added and the mixture is completely combined to a loose cake batter.

Tip the fondant batter into a jug, then evenly divide between the moulds. Chill for at least 20 minutes or up to the night before.

Heat oven to 200°C/fan 180C/gas 6. Place the fondants on a baking tray, then cook for 10-12 minutes until the tops have formed a crust and they are starting to come away from the sides of their moulds. Remove from the oven, then leave to sit for 1 minute before turning out.

Loosen the fondants by moving the tops very gently so they come away from the sides, easing them out of the moulds. Tip each fondant slightly onto your hand so you know it has come away, then tip back into the mould ready to plate up.

Sit a fondant in the middle of each plate. Using a large spoon dipped in hot water, scoop a nice big ball of ice cream.