Easy self-saucing chocolate puddings for two

The best thing about these puddings is the immediacy, and the chocolate, of course.

They're straightforward to make, coming together in almost no time, using a few ingredients you might already have in your pantry.

But, like most good things, they've got an uncalled-for reputation as being difficult. It's the bake time that does it. Temperamental, and differing ever so slightly depending on the kind of vessel used, but when executed well, otherworldly.

There's nothing to fear though, and the chocolate floods that result, are well worth it. Serve with cream, to cut through the intensity.

Tips:

• Choosing chocolate: Chocolate is the heart of a fondant, so use the best you can find – one that you wouldn't just bake with, but that you would eat. A good dark kind, about 70 per cent in cocoa solids is best.
• Don't own ramekins? Here, ceramic ramekins are used to bake the fondants, but you can use other kinds of vessels too, like a muffin pan or even dariole mould. However, ceramic is ideal, as it insulates the fondants against the high heat, cooking them slowly and in a more controlled manner, which often, results in less error. If the vessel you are using is metal, and shallower, like a muffin pan, your bake time will be slightly shorter, so keep an eye on them, and adjust accordingly.
• Make ahead: These can be made ahead of time too and kept in the refrigerator, before being baked from cold. This will also prevent over-cooking, as their cool middles will take a little more time to adjust when confronted with heat.

Thalia Ho is behind Butter and Brioche, an award-winning food blog. Her work on her blog and on Instagram is best known for its inspiring flavour combinations, decadent recipes and poetic prose. She currently resides in Australia but travels the world often in pursuit of sweetness.