Chocolate fondant with crème Chantilly

Ingredients

• 200 g Valrhona Manjari chocolate (64% cocoa solids), coarsely chopped
• 200 g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 225 g caster sugar
• 100 g plain flour
• 190 g egg whites (about 6 eggs)
• Valrhona cocoa powder, for dusting

Crème Chantilly

• 250 ml (1 cup) pure cream
• 25 g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthways and seeds scraped

Chilling time: 2 hours

Instructions

1. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of just simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl isn't touching the water. Cook, stirring occasionally until the chocolate and butter have melted. Make sure the bowl doesn't get too hot. Remove from the heat.
2. Combine the sugar and flour in a bowl, then whisk into the chocolate mixture until a smooth batter forms. Whisk in the egg whites until well combined.
3. Grease four 125 ml (½ cup) capacity metal dariole moulds with the extra butter, then dust the inside with cocoa powder, shaking out the excess. Fill the moulds with the chocolate mixture until three-quarters full. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or for up to 48 hours.
4. For the Crème Chantilly , place the cream, icing sugar and vanilla seeds in a large bowl and whisk just until firm peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
5. When ready to cook, preheat a fan-forced oven to 180˚C.
6. Place the fondants on a baking tray and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 4 minutes.
7. Invert the chocolate fondants onto serving plates and serve immediately with a quenelle of crème Chantilly on the side.

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