Hazelnut & chocolate puddings with praline cream

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Butter 8 heatproof moulds, ramekins or cups, each with a capacity of 250ml. Toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan, being careful not to let them go too far. You have to agitate the pan to keep the hazelnuts moving. Allow them to cool, then grind to a powder in a food processor (use the pulse button, or the nuts will become oily).

2. 2

   Put the chocolate into a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir a little to help it melt. When melted, remove the bowl and let it cool a little.

3. 3

   Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until you have a light, fluffy mixture. Lightly beat the egg yolks and gradually add them, beating well after each addition. If you go too fast it will curdle. With the mixer on a slow speed, add the melted and cooled chocolate, then the ground hazelnuts, then the almonds.

4. 4

   Beat the egg whites in a scrupulously clean bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of these into the batter, using a very large spoon, then fold in the rest. Fill the buttered moulds with the batter, ¾ full.

5. 5

   Set the puddings in a large roasting tin. Butter a sheet of foil, large enough to cover the roasting tin. Pour hot water – coming about halfway up the side of moulds – into the tin. Put the buttered sheet on top, seal and bake for about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and check if the puddings are cooked. If not, cover again, return them to the oven and cook until ready, for another 5-10 minutes.

6. 6

   Leave to cool for 5 minutes, then run a fine knife between the pudding and the insides of the moulds and turn the puddings out onto small plates (give each a good shake). The insides are fudgy rather than molten. There’s no race to serve as they are good at room temperature.

7. 7

   Make the praline while the puddings are cooking. Grease a rimmed baking sheet with a little oil. Put the sugar for the praline into a small pan and add 4 tbsp water. Heat gently, tilting the pan every so often to ensure it gets an even heat. Once the sugar has melted, boil hard until the colour goes from pale gold to caramel. Don’t burn it!

8. 8

   When the mixture looks and smells caramelised, pull the pan off the heat, then add the nuts and lemon juice. Pour on to the greased baking sheet and tip the sheet to ensure the caramel isn’t too thick. Let it get cold, then break it up – bash it in a plastic bag with a rolling pin, or pulse-blend in a food processor. You want to end up with a mixture of little chunks and larger shards. Whip the cream, adding enough sugar to sweeten – don’t add too much as the praline will be added – then mix in the vanilla. Stir in the bashed praline, keeping larger chips for the tops. Dust the puddings with icing sugar, put some praline cream on top and sprinkle on some of the coarser praline bits. Serve with the remaining cream.