Everyone loves a chocolate fondant, right?!

I love dark chocolate and a chocolate dessert can never be ‘too rich’ for me. But I have heard that be a criticism of chocolate-heavy desserts. So this recipe is a great way to still enjoy a classic chocolate fondant, but with a zingy lime curd to offset the richness. Those old enough will remember ‘chocolate limes’ – boiled sweets flavoured with lime with a chocolate filling and this dessert is definitely evocative of that classic pairing!

This recipe is a bit of work, but well worth the result!

Recipe by Nadiya Hussein

Serves 6

You will need 6 dariole moulds or ramekins

• 200g butter, plus 25g /1oz melted, for greasing
• 50g cocoa powder, for dusting
• 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), melted
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 4 eggs and 4 egg yolks
• zest of 3 limes (use the juice for the curd)
• 200g plain flour

For the lime curd:

• juice of 8 limes, plus the zest of 3
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 100g butter, chopped into small pieces
• 3 eggs and 1 egg yolk
• green food gel colouring (optional)

Make the lime curd. Put the lime juice and zest, sugar, cornflour, butter, eggs and egg yolk in a heatproof bowl, and whisk together to combine. Set the bowl on top of a pan of simmering water, and continue to whisk for about 20 mins until thickened – don’t be alarmed if it looks like it has curdled at first, as once the butter has melted, it will come together. It should coat the back of the spoon once done. Stir through the food colouring, if using, and set aside to cool. Will keep, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Brush the moulds with the melted butter, then place them on a tray and put in the freezer for 10 mins or until the butter has set. Take out and brush with butter again, then return to the freezer for another 10 mins. Dust the insides with a good coating of cocoa powder, tap out any excess and set aside.

Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. In a bowl over a pan of simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together, then leave to cool.

Whisk the sugar and eggs with an electric hand whisk until light, fluffy and the mixture has tripled in volume. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and lime zest, and mix well. Fold the flour gently and quickly into the fondant mixture until fully incorporated, then spoon the mixture into the moulds, filling them almost to the top – leave a little space as they will rise. Bake in the oven for 10 mins or until a crust has formed and the sides are just starting to come away from the moulds.

Remove from the oven, and leave to stand for 1 min, then turn out – don’t leave them any longer or the heat from the moulds will continue to cook the fondant and they won’t have an oozy centre. To serve, place a spoonful of curd on each serving plate and spread with the back of a spoon. Place the fondants on top.