The year before last, Will and I had 5 weeks touring around Europe. It was a fantastic trip and as you can imagine, was packed full of eating. It was really where I started to expand my food horizons and explore so many different foods. It can be challenging eating in a country where you don't speak the language. I spoke just a little French (thank you grade 8 French) but not nearly enough to get us by. We had to rely on the very rough translations of menus or stick to the few things that we knew what they were.
One night we were 'reading' the dessert menu when we came across a very entertaining translation. For dessert, this restaurant offered chocolate pudding with a runny heart. We were so intrigued we had to order it. What arrived was a delicious molten lava cake and it was love at first bite. 'Runny heart' as we now call it whenever we see it on a menu, has become a favourite dessert for us and we order it whenever we have a chance.
Last week, for Valentine's Day I thought a runny heart pudding would make the perfect dessert. It was pretty easy to whip up and the perfect way to finish a romantic dinner. I'm submitting this post for this month's Sweet Adventures Blog Hop. The theme for February is 'love at first bite.' This month is hosted by the lovely Nic from Dining With a Stud. The blog hop is open to anyone. Drop by Dining With A Stud to find out more.
I halved the recipe as it was jut the two of us. The last thing I need with my wedding dress fitting coming up is extra chocolate pudding lying around. Use one tablespoon of the butter to grease the inside of the ramekins and then sprinkle each one with one tablespoon of sugar. Shake them around so that the sugar coats the sides.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs and caster sugar together until they are very light in colour and nice and thick.
While the mixer worked its magic I melted the chocolate and butter together. You can do this over the stove but the microwave is much easier. Microwave them in a heat-proof container for 30 seconds at a time, stirring between, until it is smooth.
This is what the eggs and sugar will look like after a beating - nice and thick.
Take the bowl off the stand and pour in the melted chocolate.
Sift the flour over the top and then gently fold it all together until the batter is even.
Divide it evenly between the ramekins. Bake the puddings at 200C fan-forced for 20-25 minutes or until the tops begin to crack.
When the puddings are baked, leave them in the ramekins to rest for 5 minutes.
Gently run a knife around the inside of each ramekin and then turn the pudding onto a plate lined with baking paper.
Very gently use the baking paper to turn the pudding onto a serving plate so the top is up.
To make the chocolate sauce, melt the chocolate in the microwave by zapping it for 30 seconds at a time and stirring between each one. When the chocolate is smooth, stir in the icing sugar.
Adding a little luke-warm water at a time, stir the sauce until it reaches a good consistency.
Serve the puddings warm covered in chocolate sauce with vanilla ice-cream and berries on the side. Enjoy!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 125 g 4.4oz butter, softened
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 200 g 7oz dark eating chocolate, chopped
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- ⅔ cup caster superfine sugar
- ¼ cup self raising flour
Chocolate fudge sauce - Claire's recipe
- 200 g 7oz dark chocolate
- 2 tablespoon icing sugar
- water
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 200C(392F). Use 1 tablespoon of butter to grease 4 ¾ cup capacity ramekins on the base and sides.
- Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar into each ramekin and turn it around until the sugar coats the sides and base.
- Place the chocolate and the rest of the butter in a heat-proof bowl and microwave on high 20 seconds at a time, mixing in between until the mixture is smooth.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs and caster sugar together until they are light in colour and nice and thick.
- Remove the bowl from the stand and pour in the chocolate mixture then sift over the flour. Gently fold it all together.
- Divide the batter between the 4 ramekins.
- Bake the puddings for 20-25 minutes or until the tops begin to crack.
- Stand them in their containers for 5 minutes and then run a knife around the inside of each pudding to loosen the sides.
- Working one at a time, turn them out onto a plate lined with baking paper then gently use the baking paper to turn them onto serving plates.
- To make the chocolate sauce, melt the chocolate in the microwave and then stir in the icing sugar. Add a little luke-warm water and stir to combine. Keep adding water until it reaches the right consistency.
- Serve the puddings with ice cream and berries, coated with chocolate fudge sauce.
JJ @ 84thand3rd says
Your story make me smile remembering many lost in translation travels with RJ - and some of the odd food we ended up with! The little puddings look amazing!
Claire says
It's just one of those things about traveling that you have to accept. It does make for some very interesting meal times though.
Daisy@Nevertoosweet says
These look fabulous! I love the name too hehe Runny Heart :P that's what they call in HK too hehe just thinking about the chocolate oozing our makes me smile ~
Claire says
I think it's a pretty good name for it. Definitely describes it well.
Christina @ The Hungry Australian says
Oh yum, Claire! I love the story of these puddings and I can't wait to try these soon.
I love chocolate and I can just imagine how good these would taste.
Gorgeous!
Claire says
It makes me laugh every time I see them on a menu!
Jennifer (Delicieux) says
This looks fabulous Claire! I love puddings like this, so comforting and well, you know my penchant for chocolate.
Claire says
I do indeed Jennifer. You would love the chocolate sauce too. It's so thick and fudgey. Yum!
Julia {The Roasted Root} says
These look melt-in-your-mouth delicious! They looks like almost a brownie consistency (my all-time favorite dessert are brownies), so is it kind of a mix between pudding and brownie? I pretty much have to eat all desserts with a scoop of ice cream as though ice cream is the side dish to my dessert, so it tickled me to see your chocolate creation paired with ice cream. Looks wonderful!
Claire says
They are Julia! It is sort of like a lighter brownie in a way. I totally agree. I know ice cream is sweet too but it seems to balance the richness of dessert very nicely (that's my excuse anyway!).
Nic@diningwithastud says
That sauce looks great! What a beautiful dessert. Thanks so much for joining the hop :)
Claire says
Thanks so much for hosting! It's a great idea. I'm looking forward to next month.
Monica (@gastromony) says
Very nice :) Just the thing to have when you need that big chocolate hit :D
Claire says
It is indeed. Especially with the chocolate sauce. I could eat it on its own!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
What a sweet idea and I would have also been very curious to try the "running heart" :P
Claire says
It could have ended badly but luckily runny heart turned out delicious!
Miss Kimbers @ Fruit Salad and Mixed Veg says
Hey, that's a nifty password/code/checking not a robot thing:)
These look lovely. I like how the tops are all soft and go back in to create a well for the sauce to sit in:)
Claire says
It's perfect isn't it? It would work well with the ice-cream scoop on the top as well.
The Café Sucré Farine says
Claire, this looks like a wonderful way to say I love you! Super yummy! Lucky Will!
Claire says
It was a delicious dessert. It's great for a dinner party too because you can make it earlier in the day and heat it up. Yum!
Lizzy (Good Things) says
Claire, how delicious! Definitely love at first bite.
Claire says
It was indeed Lizzy.
Kyrstie @ A Fresh Legacy says
Who can go past Chocolate Pudding? Especially when teamed with raspberies - Yum!
Claire says
Not me!
[email protected] says
I agree. It's fun and exciting to travel and try new foods in places where you don't speak the language. Your recipe has an interesting name =) and it looks delicious.
Claire says
It is heaps of fun. As long as you keep an open mind because you quite often don't get what you think you ordered.
Michelle Elliott (@mschefkitchen) says
OMG! This looks amazing. My hubbie isn't a bit chocolate fan, but maybe I'll make this for ME one day!
Claire says
You can definitely make them just for yourself!