James Martin’s hot chocolate fondants

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Finely grate 40g of the chocolate. Rub a little of the butter all over the inside of 6 dariole moulds (about 125ml). Dust well with the grated chocolate, shaking out and reserving any excess. Set aside on a baking tray.
2. Melt the remaining chocolate (including any reserved gratings) and the butter in a small heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water, or in a microwave-proof bowl in the microwave on full power for 2-3 minutes, stirring once. Do not overheat or the chocolate will seize (turn solid). Scrape this into a bigger bowl, then beat in the almonds, egg yolks and cornflour.
3. Whisk the egg whites in a separate clean bowl until they form stiff but not dry peaks. Gradually beat in the caster sugar – you may want to use an electric whisk for this.
4. Carefully fold the meringue into the chocolate mixture. Spoon half of the resulting mixture into the base of the moulds, place a truffle on top, then cover and fill the moulds with the remainder. Smooth the tops.
5. Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until risen and slightly wobbly. Turn the fondants out onto plates and serve warm with a jug of cream.