Chocolate fondant with mandarin and ice-cream

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 170ºC.
2. Break up the chocolate and place in a bowl along with the butter. Place over a bain marie and gently melt.
3. Once melted, remove from the bain marie and set aside to cool slightly.
4. In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla paste. On high speed, whip until light and fluffy.
5. Add a pinch of salt.
6. Remove bowl from machine and with a spatula, gently fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until combined.
7. Gently fold under the chocolate batter until combined.
8. Twice butter the moulds and dust with pure cocoa powder.
9. Transfer batter into a jug and pour into the moulds. Place in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes.
10. The top will start to crack a little as the batter moves away from the side of the mould. Do not overcook as the centre will not be liquid.
11. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for two minutes before turning out onto a serving plate.
12. Serve with stewed mandarin segments which you can refine with a dash of Drambuie and a few roasted cumin seeds and of course a large scoop of the best vanilla bean ice cream, or serve with a dollop of King Island Pure Cream.

Tip: The batter can be frozen, even in the baking moulds, for preparation at a later date. However you will need to add 5 minutes to the baking time.