Melt-in-the-Mouth Chocolate Puddings with Crème Anglaise, Sautéed Bananas & Banana Ice Cream

(Recipe by Chef James Martin  – reproduced with permission from BBC Lifestyle)

SERVES 4 

 

Ingredients for Chocolate Puddings

125g / 4½oz butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

125g / 4½oz dark chocolate (50-60% cocoa solids), broken into pieces

4 eggs

100g / 3½oz castor sugar

60g / 2½ oz plain flour

Ingredients for Crème Anglaise

150ml/5 fl oz milk

150ml/5 fl oz double cream

1 vanilla pod, split and seeded

4 egg yolks

40g/1½ oz castor sugar

Ingredients for Banana Ice Cream

4 bananas, peeled, cut into chunks and frozen in a freezer bag or on a tray

¼ tsp vanilla essence

3-4 tbsp castor sugar

150ml / 5 fl oz buttermilk 

Ingredients for Sautéed Bananas

50g / 2 oz butter

2 bananas, peeled and cut into chunks

25g / 1 oz castor sugar

Method for Chocolate Fondant Puddings

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425’F/Gas 7, then grease 4 x 4-5cm/1½-2” diameter dariole moulds with 6cm/2½” sides with butter, using a pastry brush and brushing in the horizontal lines around insides of the tins to help the mixture rise.

2. Place the chocolate and butter into a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and allow to melt, then mix to a smooth consistency.

3. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a large bowl, add the sugar and whisk for 2 minutes or until pale and fluffy, then mix in the flour.

4. Once the chocolate has melted, pour it over the eggs and sugar and stir in.

5. Spoon the mixture into the moulds so that they are three quarters full and give them a little tap to remove any air bubbles. At this stage you can freeze them if you wish.

6. Place on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 8 minutes only.

Method for Crème Anglaise 

1. Place the milk, cream, vanilla pod and seeds into a saucepan and bring to the boil.

2. Place the egg yolks and castor sugar into a bowl.

3. Pour the hot milk onto the eggs and whisk to combine.

4. Pour back into the saucepan, bring to a simmer and cook until just thickened, stirring all the time.

Method for Banana Ice Cream

1. Tip the frozen banana chunks into a food processor.

2. Add the vanilla, sugar and half the buttermilk.

3. Turn on the processor and let it run for a few moments.

4. Then, while it is still running, pour in the remaining buttermilk in a thin steady stream.

5. Let the machine run until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Method for Sautéed Bananas

1. Heat a frying pan until hot, add the butter and bananas and sauté for 1-2 minutes until just golden.

2. Add the sugar and cook until caramelized and liquid.

To Serve

1. Serve the chocolate fondant puddings straight from the oven, turning each mould out directly on to a plate.

2. Spoon the ice cream and bananas alongside and finish with a drizzle of crème anglaise.

Tips from the chef:

a. Do not leave the puddings in the moulds for too long after removing them from the oven as that would cause the molten centres to cook through, ie. you will not have a molten chocolate cake but a regular chocolate cake.

b. Let the puddings cool so that the edges pull away slightly from the mould and then tip them over a plate gently to remove them.

Watch James Martin Digs Deep every Saturday at 8.00pm only on BBC Lifestyle (StarHub Ch. 432)