Chocolate, Pear, and Amaretti Individual Puddings

Name: Chocolate, Pear, and Amaretti Individual Puddings
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 5
Ingredients: 150 g butter chopped into cubes; 100 g dark chocolate broken into squares; 225 g golden caster sugar; 3 eggs; 50 g Plain flour; 50 g cocoa powder; 1 tsp almond extract; 410 g can pear halves in juice, drained; 1 handful amaretti biscuits crushed; 1 to serve cream or ice cream, to serve

Indulge in these rich, molten-style chocolate puddings featuring a tender pear center and a crunchy amaretti biscuit topping. Perfectly portioned for individual servings, they are a sophisticated yet simple dessert for any dinner party.

Servings5 Portions

Prep Time15 Mins

Cook Time20 Mins

Difficulty

Intermediate

Ingredients

butter chopped into cubes
150 g
dark chocolate broken into squares
100 g
golden caster sugar
225 g
eggs
3
Plain flour
50 g
cocoa powder
50 g
almond extract
1 tsp
can pear halves in juice, drained
410 g
amaretti biscuits crushed
1 handful
cream or ice cream, to serve
1 to serve

Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas 4). Place the butter and dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt them together. You can do this in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, or over a pan of simmering water (ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Once melted, set aside to cool for 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the golden caster sugar and eggs. Use an electric whisk to beat the mixture for about 5 minutes until it becomes thick, pale, and foamy. The mixture is ready when the beaters leave a visible trail on the surface for a few seconds when lifted.

Sift the plain flour and cocoa powder into the egg mixture. Gently pour the cooled chocolate-butter mixture and the almond extract around the edge of the bowl.

Using a spatula or a large metal spoon, carefully fold the ingredients together. Work gently to keep as much air in the whipped eggs as possible. Once fully combined, divide the batter evenly between five ramekins.

Nestle one pear half into the center of each pudding, then scatter the crushed amaretti biscuit crumbs over the top. Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until the edges are set but the center still has a slight wobble.