Fondant au chocolat

Fondant au chocolat is a classic French dessert known for its rich texture and soft, melting core. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 100 g of good quality dark chocolate
• 100 g of butter (plus a little more for buttering the molds)
• 100 g of powdered sugar
• 50 g of flour
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Butter and lightly flour four fondant molds or ramekins.
3. Break the chocolate into pieces and cut the butter into cubes. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or microwave, taking care to stir often to avoid burning the chocolate.
4. In a bowl, beat the whole eggs, egg yolks, and sugar until you have a light and frothy mixture.
5. Gently fold in the sifted flour and pinch of salt into the egg mixture.
6. Incorporate the melted chocolate and butter into the rest of the ingredients, mixing until you obtain a homogeneous batter.
7. Pour the mixture into the prepared molds, filling them about 3/4 of the way.
8. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Baking time may vary depending on the oven and the size of the molds. The center should remain soft and runny.
9. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes, then gently unmold the fondants onto small plates.

Serve the fondant au chocolat warm, perhaps accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a bit of whipped cream.

Curiosity

The secret to the perfect success of this dessert lies in the cooking time; a few minutes can make the difference between a fondant with a soft heart and a simple chocolate cake. Another interesting thing is that, while it is a French classic, fondant au chocolat has gained popularity all over the world and is often reinterpreted with various local twists.

Being Il Cucinologo, I cannot resist suggesting a little Italian twist: try adding a pinch of cinnamon or a tiny bit of amaretto to the mixture for a touch of originality that pairs beautifully with chocolate!