Dark Chocolate Fondant with Caramel Mousse

Ingredients

For the fondant

• 375ggood quality dark chocolate, chopped
• 375g butter, cubed
• 8whole eggs
• 7egg yolks
• 190g caster sugar
• 75g plain flour, sieved
• Butter and cocoa powder, to line dariole moulds

For the caramel mousse

• 100g caramel chocolate buttons or milk chocolate
• 100g thickened cream
• 200g milk
• Pinch Xanthum gum

For the garnish

• 100gsugar
• Brandy, to stop caramel
• 200g hazelnuts, roasted and peeled
• Icing sugar for dusting

Method

1. Pre heat oven to 170°C.

2. Melt chocolate over a bain marie, add butter and continue to melt, stirring to combine.

3. Whisk eggs, yolks and sugar in a large bowl until mixture will triples in size.

4. Gently fold the chocolate into the eggs and fold through the sieved flour. Allow mixture to rest for 45 minutes and knock back by hand.

5. Butter dariole moulds and dust with cocoa powder. Fill ¾ full with fondant mixture. This can be done ahead of time and stored in the fridge until ready to cook and serve. 

6. Bake for 8 minutes, fondant should be ¾ cooked so it is still runny in the middle. Turn out of mould onto a serving plate and dust with icing sugar. Serve immediately.

7. Melt the caramel chocolate buttons over a bain marie, allow to cool slightly.

8. Whisk in the cream and milk until smooth. Using a hand blender blitz in the xanthum. Pass through a fine sieve or chinois and chill in the refrigerator. 

9. Pour into a siphon gun and charge with two nitros bulbs, shaking just enough to activate. Do not overshake. 

Garnish

1. Dry caramelise sugar to dark brown in a frying pan. Stop with brandy, bring to the boil and reduce until thick. Add roasted hazelnuts and toss until evenly coated. Pour over a baking tray and allow to cool to set. Break into shards and roughly chop.

2. To serve, express caramel mousse directly onto plate in one movement next to the fondant. Garnish with hazelnut praline and a dust of icing sugar.