something for a snowy day....

Today the snow in lovely old Hull has been coming down a treat! Noah especially loves the snow and has been rolling about in it for ages, he's a very excited puppy!

Snow may make the puppy want to go out and play but it makes me want to do the complete opposite.

I go into hibernation mode and want nothing more then to cocoon myself on the sofa with something delicious and some Glen Miller on the record player! Yes I am only 23 i know that, but it makes me happy to be a nana! My highest aim is to be one of the grandparents from Charlie and the Chocolate factory! 

So anywhooo with all this cold weather I felt that me and the man friend needed something chocolatey and warming to see us through and therefore my crispy chocolate fondants 

Ingredients- makes 8

• 3 medium eggs
• 45g caster sugar
• 60ml extra light olive oil (good quality) 
• 30ml water
• 150g dark chocolate
• 110g soft brown sugar
• 75g plain flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 20g ground almonds
• 1 tbsp good quality cocoa powder

1. Start by warming the oven to 180°c. Grease 8 ramekins and set them aside on a baking tray
2. Separate your eggs and put the yolks aside. Whisk up the egg whites so that they start to form fluffy peaks but are not firm. Add the caster sugar in thirds and keep mixing for a minute or so. Set aside
3. Melt the chocolate either in a bowl suspended over a pan of  boiling water or in a microwave set at half power. It should take about 3 minutes in the microwave, but stop it half way through and give it a good stir.
4. In a separate bowl combine the egg yolks with the olive oil, water, soft brown sugar and melted chocolate. Sift in the remaining dry ingredients-flour, baking powder, bicarb and cocoa powder. Finally stir in the ground almonds. This should give you a very thick batter.
5. Fold in the egg whites, a third at a time. The first third can be firmly combined as it is a thick batter that your trying to incorporate it into. For the other 2 thirds, try not to mess with it too much, we want to keep as much of the air in as possible. 
6. Decant the mixture between your 8 ramekins and bake on the middle shelf, center of the oven for around 12-15 minutes depending on your oven. I check every 2 minutes after the 12 mark, just by prodding a skewer into the center of your sponge. It should look crisp and cracked on the top, be slightly wobbly to the touch and there should be a chocolatey goo that comes out on the skewer! Done!
7. Serve straight away, either on its own with a dusting of cocoa powder or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a scattering of fresh raspberries- perfection!