Easy Chocolate and Pear Fondant Pudding
PREP: 10 MINUTES COOK: 30 MINUTES SERVES 4 - 6
The simplest, most satisfying and easiest-to-adapt recipe that you can whip up in a flash. During lockdown, we did a brilliant live, online cook-a-long with Liz making this. You can eat it when it’s warm and gooey, or let it cool so it’s more like a brownie. Or ditch the baking altogether and eat it straight from the fridge or freezer, like a mousse or parfait. If you don’t want to use pears, add whatever fruit you like … or none at all. You can even put fruit at one end of the tin and leave the other end plain, for the fussy kids (grown-up ones included).
Chocolate and Pear Fondant Pudding
Our Chocolate and Pear Fondant Pudding is a delightful treat that combines rich, velvety chocolate with the delicate sweetness of pears for a dessert that's as comforting as it is elegant. Perfectly baked to retain a slightly oozy centre, this pudding is an indulgent showstopper that will impress your guests while being surprisingly easy to make.
PREP TIME
10 minutes
COOK TIME
30 minutes
TOTAL TIME
40 minutes
SERVINGS
4 - 6
Ingredients
- 50g (1¾oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- 1 × 410g (14oz) can pear quarters, drained
- 50g (1¾oz) amaretti biscuits, crushed to a chunky breadcrumb texture
- 60ml (4 tablespoons) double cream
- 125g (4½oz) dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids), chopped into pieces
- 3 eggs
- 70g (2½oz) caster sugar
- cream or ice cream, to serve
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 20cm (8 inch) cake or brownie tin with butter.
- Arrange the pear pieces in the base of the prepared tin and sprinkle over the amaretti biscuits.
- Place the butter, cream and chocolate in a medium saucepan. Place on a low heat, stirring, for 3–5 minutes until the chocolate has just melted. If you have a kitchen thermometer, you can test the temperature – don’t let it get hotter than 50°C (122°F).
- Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
- Place the eggs and sugar in a free-standing mixer with a whisk attachment, or use a large mixing bowl and an electric hand whisk.
- Whisk until thick and the beaters leave a trail when you lift the whisk up.
- With a metal spoon, fold the egg mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture until just combined.
- Pour this mixture over the pears and biscuits in the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes until just set but still oozy, with a lovely glazed, slightly cracked top. Serve immediately with cream or ice cream.
Perfect to Serve With...
You could also serve extra pear halves or slices and more crushed amaretti biscuits on the side.