Fondant Au Chocolat Recipe

Prepare molds

Preheat oven to 200°C (390°F). Generously butter four 180–200 ml (6–7 oz) ramekins or molds and dust with cocoa powder, tapping out excess.

Melt chocolate and butter

In a heatproof bowl set over simmering water (double boiler), combine 200 g dark chocolate and 150 g unsalted butter. Stir gently until completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly (about 3–5 minutes).

Whisk eggs and sugar

In a separate bowl, whisk 4 whole eggs, 2 egg yolks and 100 g granulated sugar vigorously until mixture is pale, slightly thickened and ribbons form when the whisk is lifted (about 2–3 minutes by hand; 1–2 minutes with an electric mixer).

Combine

Temper the egg mixture by slowly folding about one-third of the melted chocolate into the eggs to lighten the chocolate. Then fold in remaining chocolate gently. Add 50 g flour and 1 pinch salt and fold until just incorporated. Finally fold in 20 ml Grand Marnier. Do not overmix.

Fill and bake

Divide batter evenly among prepared ramekins (fill about 3/4 full). Place ramekins on a baking tray and bake in preheated oven 10–12 minutes for a molten center (bake time may vary by oven and ramekin size). The edges should be set and tops slightly cracked while centers remain soft. For firmer but still gooey centers, bake 13–14 minutes.

Rest briefly

Remove from oven and let rest 1 minute. Run a small knife around edges, then invert each fondant onto a serving plate. If fondants stick, loosen again and invert.

While fondants bake, make the praline. In a medium saucepan, combine 80 g granulated sugar and 15 ml water over medium heat. Swirl the pan gently (avoid stirring) until the sugar dissolves and turns a deep amber caramel (watch carefully to avoid burning). Remove from heat and immediately stir in 100 g toasted hazelnuts and 1 pinch sea salt to coat evenly.

Pour the hot praline onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and let cool completely. Once cool and hard, break into pieces and pulse in a food processor until you obtain a coarse praline paste and some fine crumbs (you want some texture). Reserve about 2 tablespoons of coarse pieces for topping and the rest can be used as a paste mixed into other components or sprinkled on the plate.

Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F) if not already in use for fondants (baking fondants uses higher temp; you can bake sablé earlier). In a bowl, rub 70 g cold diced unsalted butter into 80 g flour, 15 g cocoa powder and 40 g powdered sugar until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add 1 egg yolk and 1 pinch salt and bring dough together quickly until homogeneous; do not overwork.

Press dough into a thin disk, wrap in plastic and chill 20–30 minutes. Roll out or crumble: for a crumbly sable topping, press dough into a shallow sheet and bake for 12–15 minutes at 170°C until set but not too dark. Let cool and break into coarse crumbs. Alternatively, for a quick method, grate frozen dough to create streusel-like crumbs and bake as above.

Once cooled, reserve about 30–40 g of chocolate sable crumbs for plating.

Prepare berries: rinse 150 g mixed berries, drain and pat dry. If raspberries are very tart, lightly toss with 5 g powdered sugar to balance acidity (optional).

Melt 30 g extra dark chocolate gently (microwave in short bursts or double boiler) until smooth for drizzling.

Plate: place a small spoonful of hazelnut praline paste in the center of each plate to anchor the fondant. Sprinkle a ring of chocolate sable crumbs where the fondant will sit. Invert the warm fondant over the praline. Spoon a small amount (about 1 tablespoon) of reserved coarse praline pieces over or beside the fondant for crunch. Arrange a handful of mixed berries alongside the fondant (about 35–40 g per serving).

Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream beside each fondant. Drizzle melted dark chocolate over the fondant and ice cream as desired. Dust berries and plate lightly with powdered sugar.

Serve immediately so the fondant center remains molten. Suggestion: offer extra Grand Marnier on the side for a quick splash over the berries or ice cream if desired.