Some make whisky fondant, others prefer it filled with ganache cream, and some even try it with white chocolate. The multi-starred Anne-Sophie Pic, on the other hand, has taken a minimalist approach, eliminating eggs entirely.
The history and types of fondant
In its warm-centered version, it is also known as “coulant,” and is popular in restaurants everywhere. Any self-respecting foodie should try it at least once in their life. But fondant au chocolat (or “hot-centered cake”) comes in many variations in terms of cooking time, texture, and butter content (here, for example, we explain how to replicate Cédric Grolet's dessert). It was created in 1981 by Michel Bras, who patented the recipe after an intense day of skiing in the mountains with his family.
Jean-Georges Vongerichten later claimed to have invented it (sparking some controversy, with denials from well-known food critics and enthusiasts), saying that the dessert was born from a mistake at the Lafayette restaurant: in 1987, a tart was taken out of the oven too early, leaving the center “liquid.” One of the best-known reinterpretations is the ‘fondant cake’: here, the inside remains creamy but cohesive, creating a different effect from the ‘lava flow’ of the single portion. It could perhaps be compared to a brownie, with some structural differences and, sometimes, as in the recipe we are about to propose, significant changes in the list of ingredients used.
The multi-starred version...without eggs!
Some people make whisky fondant, others prefer it filled with ganache cream, and some even try it with white chocolate. The multi-starred Anne-Sophie Pic, on the other hand, took a different approach: “It all started when I met Sibylle Audollent, author of the blog ”Z'oeufs peux pas“ and the book of the same name, who asked me in 2012 to create a recipe for her without eggs, because her daughters are allergic. It was a wonderful request, which I was delighted to fulfill, recreating this gourmet dessert for young and old alike!”
Ingredients
- 150 g sugar
- 150 g whole milk
- 200 g Guanaja 70% dark chocolate (this is couverture chocolate, which can be purchased from a chocolatier or delicatessen)
- 75 g potato starch
- 75 g flour
- 150 g softened butter
Procedure
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Melt the butter with the chocolate, then heat the milk and pour it over the first mixture (butter and chocolate). Mix the two mixtures together.
Gradually add the sugar, starch, and flour and mix well.
Bake for 5-8 minutes (depending on the oven); prick the cake with the tip of a knife to check if it is cooked: it should come out moist.
Leave the cake to cool, then place it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to firm up.
