Molten Chocolate Babycakes (makes 6)

Ingredients

• 50g soft unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
• 350g best dark chocolate
• 150g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 50g plain flour

6 individual pudding molds, buttered baking parchment

Method 

Unless you are making these up in advance, preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius, putting in a baking sheet at the same time.  Lay 3 of the moulds on a sheet of doubled baking parchment.  Draw round them, remove, and then cut out the discs as marked.  Press them all into the base of the tins.  Melt the chocolate and let it cool slightly.  Cream together the butter and sugar, and gradually beat the eggs and salt, then the vanilla.  Now add the flour, and when all is smoothly combined scrape in the cooled chocolate, blending it to a smooth batter.  Divide the batter between the 6 moulds, quickly whip the baking sheet out of the oven, arrange the little tins on it and replace in the oven.  Cook for 10-12 minutes (the extra 2 minutes will be needed if the puddings are fridge-cold when you start) and as soon as you take them out of the oven, tip the babycakes out onto small plates or shallow bowls.  Serve these with whipped cream, crème fraiche or ice cream.

Rocky Road (makes 24)

Ingredients

• 200g milk chocolate
• 25g dark chocolate
• 75g brazil nuts
• 75g mini-marshmallows
• 1 baking sheet, lined with greaseproof paper or oiled foil

Method

Melt the chocolate.  Roughly chop the Brazil nuts, and mix into the chocolate with the mini-marshmallows.  Drop heaped teaspoons onto a lined baking sheet, and leave to cool in a cold place, though not the fridge if at all possible; it will take some of the gleam from the chocolate.