Gluten-free Chocolate Fondants
Photography by Simeon Crofts
DIETARY - Gluten-free, Vegetarian, Nut-free
Chocolate fondants are one of the most decadent desserts out there, famed for their many MasterChef disaster appearances on TV over the years. Personally, I have always loved making these oozing chocolate cakes, also known as lava cakes, which I promise don’t always go wrong! For the past couple of months, I have been developing a recipe for a 100% gluten-free fondant that still tastes every bit as delicious, and I am really excited to now share this with you.
As with most things I make, especially if they’re gluten-free, this is a firm favourite with my celiac hubby, who frequently gives me a list of foods he misses in the hope I’ll accept the challenge of recreating them sans gluten. The key to a well turned out chocolate fondant is, first and foremost, the quality of the chocolate you use. I choose to use 70% Ecuador couverture chocolate; however, any dark chocolate brand you can find in the supermarket will work, as long as the minimum cocoa solids are 70% or higher, which will deliver a richer, more chocolatey flavour.
The second essential part is cooking the fondant for just the right amount of time so that the outside of your cake is a perfectly formed, soft shell with a centre that oozes on to the plate when you dig in with a spoon. There is a fine line between a raw cake and an overcooked one, which is why fondants are notoriously tricky. My top tip is to cook for the least amount of time first then work your way up if necessary. I found 11 minutes was spot on for me in my fan oven. If you’re really unsure, you can always cook one first, then test it. You’ll be able to easily adjust the time up or down depending on how liquid or not the centre is. To avoid the cake continuing to cook while in the hot mould, I turn my fondants out immediately and serve straightaway for maximum ooze!
When it comes to choosing a mould, my first choice is an aluminium dariole mould, which is relatively cheap to buy and very easy to come across online. These produce the perfect shape and an excellent bake. They’re non-stick, which means they clean up quickly too.
You can enjoy these chocolate fondants on their own or with fruit, a splash of cream or a scoop of ice cream.
Gluten-free Chocolate Fondants
Ingredients:
- 25g melted butter
- 2 tsp cocoa powder, for dusting (1/2 tsp per mould)
- 100g dark chocolate
- 100g butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 100g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 45g gluten-free plain flour
Method:
- First, brush your moulds with melted butter then dust with cocoa powder until well coated. Shake off any excess.
- In a glass bowl, melt your chocolate and butter together either in a microwave or set over a saucepan of gently simmering water. If you choose to melt the chocolate in a microwave, be sure to do it in 30-second increments and stir well in between to ensure the chocolate and butter melt evenly and do not burn. Once melted, set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and vanilla until thick, pale and fluffy. This will take 2-4 minutes.
- Fold the gluten-free flour into the egg mixture until well incorporated.
- Slowly add in the melted chocolate in stages, folding well in between each addition. The mixture will be thick but still pourable.
- Pour your mixture evenly between the moulds then chill for 30 minutes.
- Pre-heat your oven to 200°C (180°C Fan)/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Cook your fondants for 10-11 minutes until firm on top with a slight wobble. Enjoy warm from the oven.