Chocolate Orange Puddings Recipe

How to Make a Chocolate Orange Puddings

Method 

  1. For the ganache centres: place 50g dark chocolate chips and cream into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on medium to high for 3 x 20 second bursts, stirring between each burst, until chocolate is smooth and melted. Be careful not to burn the chocolate.
  2. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until firm enough to scoop into 2 teaspoon balls.
  3. For the puddings: preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Brush 4 x 170ml dariole moulds or ramekins with oil or melted butter. Dust with a little cocoa powder and tap out excess.
  4. Place 200g dark chocolate bits and butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 3 x 30 second bursts, stirring in between or until the mixture is smooth and melted. Be careful not to burn the chocolate. Set aside this melted chocolate mixture.
  5. Place eggs, yolks, sugar and orange zest in another medium bowl and whisk until well combined. Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and whisk together. Fold through the flour.
  6. Spoon a 1/3 of mixture into the prepared moulds, so that the mixture is about a third of the way up the sides. Place 2 teaspoons of the ganache mixture in the middle of the batter. Top with remaining batter, leaving 1.5cm space from top of moulds.
  7. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until cooked. The top of the puddings should feel springy.
  8. Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce: heat 100g butter, 1 cup brown sugar, half cup cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a heavy-bottomed saucepan *. Sugar will start to melt after about 2 minutes, then whisk vigorously with a metal whisk. The sugar mixture will start to form clumps and begin to melt at the edges of the pan. Lower the heat in the pan, to prevent the sugar from burning.
  9. Continue whisking the sugar mixture, until all of the sugar is melted. It will clump again, but keep stirring until it melts completely. As soon as the sugar crystals have melted, add the butter and continue whisking until smooth.
  10. Once the butter has melted, take the pan off the heat. After 5-10 seconds, slowly add the cream to the pan and continue to incorporate into the butter mixture until it comes together, then whisk your caramel sauce until smooth. Let it cool in the pan for a couple of minutes before serving (see tip).
  11. When puddings are cooked, stand the puddings for 2-3 minutes and then turn out onto serving plates. Serve with caramel sauce, orange zest and slices.

*Note: The butter mixture will foam up, when you add the cream, so you need to ensure your saucepan holds between 2.5-3 litres.

Tip: You can make the caramel sauce ahead of time. Once cooked, cool in saucepan for 3 minutes before pouring into a mason jar and let it come to room temperature. Seal and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Then to reheat it, you can add to a heat-proof bowl, set over a saucepan with a small amount of simmering water and heat until sauce is warm.