Here is a recipe for what can only be described as the chocolate version of a hug.  A delicious chocolate sponge pudding with a melt-in-the-middle chocolate fondant centre. This recipe makes about six small puddings, so you can halve the amount if you’re just serving two. Obviously the smaller the ramekin dishes the more you’ll make. Serve with your favourite vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients
75g butter, softened
300g good quality milk chocolate (or 70% dark if you prefer)
75g light muscovado sugar
4 organic free range eggs
40g plain flour
Half a tsp vanilla extract
A chocolate truffle or a square of chocolate per ramekin dish
Optional: either 2 tbsp strong filtered coffee or Tia Maria

Preheat the oven to 190°C/400F/gas mark 6. Grease out the ramekins with extra butter.

Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a bowl over a saucepan of water on a low heat. Place to one side.

Separate the egg whites and yolks into two bowls. Whisk the egg whites with an electric whisk until fluffy and starts to form soft peaks.

Place the softened butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk together.  Add the egg yolks and stir.

Add the egg whites and whisk until smooth. Don’t over-whisk as the eggs will curdle!  Add the melted chocolate – check it’s cooled first – and mix together.

Sift in the flour and stir until smooth. Add the coffee or Tia Maria, if using.

Pour the mix into the ramekins filling each one three quarters full.

Place a mini chocolate truffle or a cube of chocolate in the middle of each one before putting them in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes.