Baked Chocolate Pudding
455g best-quality cooking chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
50ml hot espresso or good, strong instant coffee
125g butter, plus extra for greasing
6 eggs, free-range or organic, separated
200g caster sugar
100g ground almonds
100g rice flour
1 small handful chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1. Melt 125g of the chocolate with the coffee, then pour into small ice-cube moulds and freeze until hard.
2. Take 6 small 3 inch pastry rings, dariole moulds or cappuccino cups and grease well with butter, then place in the fridge to chill.
3. Melt the remaining chocolate with the butter in a bowl over a pan of boiling water, and in a separate bowl whisk the egg whites with the sugar until firm.
3. Fold the yolks into the cooled chocolate and butter mixture, then add the almonds and flour. Finish by carefully folding in the egg white mixture.
4. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
5. Take your moulds out of the fridge and spoon a little mixture into each one, then push in a cube of the frozen coffee and chocolate mixture. Cover with the rest of the sponge mixture so each ice cube is completely enveloped.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, then remove carefully from the moulds while hot. Serve immediately, sprinkled with hazelnuts.