Creme Brulee & Chocolate Fondant Recipes

After writing the review for Stef's Italian Restaurant, I wanted to tell you more about my two favourite desserts: Creme brulee and Chocolate Fondant.

These are absolute pieces of heaven; one a silky and creamy custard, and the other a rich chocolate gooey pudding. The Creme Brulee is a French dessert, whereas the Chocolate Fondant is (according to google) either French or Italian.

I don't have pictures to show you from when I first tried making these desserts, because I made them waaay before starting this blog, but I tell you, they are easy peasy to make! The Chocolate Fondant proved a bit of a challenege, for me anyway, but a little practice and perfect timing helped me nail it and get that cooked outer case down with the melted surprise in the centre.

Here are the recipes I used:

Creme Brulee

Recipe: http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2745/ultimate-crme-brle-

When I prepared this recipe, I had no vanilla pods or essence, so just left it out completely - it still tasted lovely! I know the dessert would have been that much better with the vanilla, as I've had them in restaurants before, but I really think it's fine without if your supply of vanilla is non-existent.

It's amazing how simple this recipe is, and the finished product is so delightfully delicious! It just goes to show a little (in terms of the number of ingredients) goes a long way. I will be making another attempt at this French masterpiece once I've moved out of my cold, ovenless apartment, and into a new one! Moving day is just around the corner, I hope...

Chocolate Fondant

I created this decadent dessert after watching Come Dine With Me. I've had this dessert many times before, yet never attempted to make it because I was always threatened by the amount of skill it might have taken to get that dreamy melted centre perfectly right. However, after watching Caprice make them when she was on the show, I got hold of the recipe from Channel4, and then, hey presto, I could make a decent chocolate fondant (albeit having to try a few times before reaching perfection). Long gone are my childish hypothesis of how they got that gooey centre, mostly made up of beliefs that the melted chocolate was somehow injected into the cake (???). I'm embarassed that I never bothered to look it up, but not embarassed enough to expose myself on my blog!

I think it comes down to the type of chocolate you use, aswell. I used cheap chocolate for cooking from ASDA, so that might have something to do with the way the middle would solidify in my first few attempts. If you have better luck with this recipe, i.e. nail it on the first attempt, please let me know... you must be a culinary genius!

Here's the recipe: http://www.channel4.com/4food/recipes/tv-show/come-dine-with-me-recipes/series-5/chocolate-fondant-with-creme-fraiche-recipe

And the Come Dine With Me episode with Caprice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYhwkwSwK9g

Once I've got myself a working oven, I shall post pics of the desserts I make, just to convince you just how easy and ego-massaging it is to make these pots of scrumptious delights, and for those who have never had a Creme Brulee or Chocolate Fondant before, you can see what you've been missing out on all your lives....