Looking for a sexy dessert for your Valentine’s dinner party? Impress your date with this easy dessert recipe: indulgent chocolate fondant pudding – a guaranteed crowd-pleaser to delight the senses!

Moist, springy sponge on the outside with an impressive surprise: a gooey chocolate fondant center that oozes out when you break its outer layer.

As well as being delicious and known as an aphrodisiac, dark chocolate has a truckload of health benefits. It not only boosts your energy, but contains essential minerals that your body needs to thrive, and antioxidants with powerful anti-aging powers.

Plus, it’s so much easier to make than you think! It can even be whipped up ahead of time – the perfect dinner party dessert to impress your guests!

Ingredients

Melted butter, for greasing

Cocoa powder, for dusting

275g (9.5oz) dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)

225g (8oz) unsalted butter

400g (14oz) caster sugar

0.5tsp vanilla extract

5 large free-range eggs, beaten

200g (7oz) plain flour, sifted

8 metal pudding bowls or ramekins

How to make it

1. Heat the oven to 180 C, 160 C fan, 350 F, gas 4. Brush the pudding molds sparingly with melted butter, dust with cocoa powder, and shake out the excess. Set aside. Melt the chocolate and butter gently in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla extract. Leave to cool slightly.

2. Whisk the eggs into the mixture a little at a time, then fold in the sifted flour and a little salt until you have a smooth mixture.

3. Divide between the molds – each one two-thirds full. Place on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for 12 minutes exactly. Remove from the oven, run a knife around the edges, invert and tip out onto serving plates. Serve immediately with vanilla ice cream and fresh seasonal berries.