French Food Friday...Warm chocolate pudding recipe with almond-vanilla praline

 photo and recipe from here

Bonjour from a very chilly SW France,

It is freezing here so I am in the mood for staying cosy. Speaking of cosy, in a little over a week's time, it will be Saint Valentine's day so I am on the lookout for some fabulous recipes as I am planning on cooking French Boyfriend a romantic dinner.

I think that I will need a week to get prepared as he likes to try new recipes but seems to prefer the French ones best, the exception being Guinness and Beef Stew, which he prefers to beef bourguignon.

Hence I need a week....

This week's recipe is one that never fails to impress as it really does melt in the mouth.

Warm chocolate pudding recipe with almond-vanilla praline

 

 Serves: 4

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 9 minutes



Ingredients

• 1/2 vanilla pod
• 50 ml water
• 50 g caster sugar
• 50 g almonds (skin on)
• Unsweetened cocoa, for dusting
• 120 g dark (bittersweet) chocolate, at least 60% cocoa solids
• 100 g unsalted butter, plus a little extra for greasing
• 2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
• 100 g caster sugar
• 25 g plain flour
• 50 g round almonds
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

 
METHOD

To make the almond praline split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds, reserving half for this recipe. Use the remaining seeds to infuse a jar of caster sugar and save for another recipe.

Put the water in a small pan and add the sugar. Combine well and place over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and leave to cook gently, without stirring. Leave to bubble until the sugar starts to turn a light golden colour, add the almonds and remove from the heat. Stir in the vanilla seeds, pour onto a baking paper-lined tray and leave to cool. Once cold, place another piece of baking paper on top and gently beat with a rolling pin to crush into crumbs. Alternatively, break up the praline in a food processor until it resembles breadcrumbs.

To prepare the puddings, grease four 150 millilitre pudding moulds. Spoon a little cocoa into each and turn to coat the inside. Tip out the excess. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/gas mark 6. Break up the chocolate and place in a glass bowl with the butter. Bring a small pan of water to a simmer and place the bowl over the water to melt the butter and chocolate. Stir to combine, take the bowl off the heat.

In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolk and sugar together until smooth and creamy. Sieve the flour over the top and add the ground almond and whisk until smooth. While still whisking, add the melted butter and almond mixture until well combined. Divide the mixture between the four moulds and bake for nine minutes. When ready, the puddings will have risen but will be liquid inside. Leave to rest for one minute before turning out onto serving dishes next to a spoonful of crushed almond praline. Serve immediately. 

...très bon vendredi à tous, Leeann