In her new book, chef Rosemary Shrager guides you through tried and tested recipes that she vows will turn you into a better cook 

These chocolaty puds can seem awfully intimating, but get the timing right and you've never had better

I know people are a bit scared about making these, fearing they won’t achieve the melting chocolatey middles, but once you get the timing right, fondants are really easy to do. They’re well worth practising as they are a great store-cupboard standby and everyone enjoys them. 

Dariole moulds, shaped like little flowerpots, are the ideal containers but you can also use ramekins.

Serves 4

• Spray oil or 25g (1oz) butter, melted
• 50g (1¾oz) cocoa powder
• 120g (4oz) dark chocolate (minimum 64% cocoa solids), broken up
• 70g (2½oz) butter, diced
• 75g (2¾oz) golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 15g (¹/8oz) plain flour

Preheat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6. Spray the insides of 4 dariole moulds or ramekins with oil or brush with melted butter, then dust lightly with some of the cocoa powder. This will prevent the fondant from sticking.

You need a pan and a heatproof bowl that fits neatly over it. Bring some water to simmering point in the pan, then put the bowl on top, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. 

Add the chocolate and diced butter and allow to melt gently. Don’t let the water boil. 

Ideally, test the chocolate with a sugar thermometer – it should reach 55°C. Remove the pan and bowl from the heat and cool slightly.

Using an electric hand mixer, mix the sugar and eggs in a bowl until they have doubled in size and are pale in colour. Add the flour and whisk again until there are no lumps. 

Add the melted chocolate and butter and mix until well combined. Fill the moulds or ramekins about three-quarters full.

Place on a baking tray and bake for 9 minutes. Remove and leave to rest for 2 minutes, then turn out onto plates. 

Dust with the rest of the cocoa powder and serve at once. 

Extracted from Rosemary Shrager’s Cookery Course by Rosemary Shrager, published by BBC Books, £20. Offer price £16 until 06/10/2018, order at mailshop. co.uk/books or call 0844 571 0640, p&p is free on orders over £15. Photography © Andrew Hayes-Watkins. 

ROSEMARY'S GOLDEN RULES

Rosemary's golden rules include buying everything fresh and being organised

I’m all for breaking rules but there are some kitchen habits I stick to.

Buy everything as fresh as possible. Supermarkets have their place, but look at local farms and markets too.

Be organised when preparing food. Keep your ingredients on your left and prepped food on your right.

When preparing ingredients, finish one task before starting the next, ie. skin all your tomatoes, then chop – don’t peel one, chop it, then go back to peeling. It’s just not efficient.

Clear up as you go. Mess is stressful.