This chocolate fondant recipe makes four individual molten cakes with a firm outside and a warm, flowing chocolate center. It is the same dessert many restaurants call lava cake, and it needs only five ingredients and 12 minutes in the oven.
Timing is everything, because one extra minute turns a fondant into a normal cake. After the recipe, you will also find fixes for fondants that are overbaked, raw or stuck to the mold.
Chocolate Fondant Recipe at a Glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Bake time: 10–12 minutes
- Molds: 4 ramekins or pudding molds, 175 ml (¾ cup) each
- Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 120 g (4 oz) dark chocolate, 60–70% cocoa, chopped
- 120 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, plus extra for the molds
- 2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
- 75 g (⅓ cup) sugar
- 30 g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- Cocoa powder, for the molds
How to Make This Chocolate Fondant Recipe
- Prepare the molds. First, brush the molds with soft butter in upward strokes, chill them for 5 minutes, and brush them again. Then dust them with cocoa powder and tap out the extra.
- Melt the chocolate. Next, melt the chocolate and butter together over a pan of barely simmering water, and stir until smooth. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Whisk the eggs. Then whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar and salt for 3–4 minutes, until pale and thick.
- Combine. After that, fold the chocolate into the eggs, and then sift in the flour and fold gently.
- Fill and chill. Divide the batter between the molds. Chill them for 20 minutes, or up to 1 day, so the centers stay liquid.
- Bake. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200°C (400°F). Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the tops are set and the edges pull away slightly, while the center still wobbles.
- Turn out. Finally, rest them for 1 minute, run a knife around the edge, and turn each one onto a plate.
Chocolate Fondant Recipe: Common Problems and How to Fix Them
Why is my fondant not runny inside?
Cause: Most of the time, this is because it baked too long or the oven runs hot.
Fix: Bake one test fondant first and note the perfect time for your oven. In addition, chill the filled molds, because a cold center takes longer to cook.
Why did my fondant collapse when I turned it out?
Cause: It was underbaked, so the walls were too weak.
Fix: Bake for 1 more minute, and wait until the top looks set before removing it from the oven.
Why is it stuck to the mold?
Cause: The molds were not greased well enough.
Fix: Butter them twice and dust them with cocoa, as in step 1. Also, rest the fondant for only 1 minute; otherwise, it starts to stick as it cools.
Why is my chocolate grainy?
Cause: The chocolate overheated or a drop of water got into it.
Fix: Melt it slowly over low heat and keep the bowl dry. For more help, read our guide to chocolate problems and how to fix them.
Tips for Success With This Chocolate Fondant Recipe
- Use good dark chocolate, because it is the main flavor.
- Bake the fondants on a hot tray, so the bottoms cook evenly.
- Serve them immediately, for example with vanilla ice cream or fresh raspberries.
Chocolate Fondant Recipe Variations
- Hidden center: press a square of white chocolate or a teaspoon of salted caramel into each mold.
- Orange fondant: add the grated zest of 1 orange to the batter.
- With ice cream: serve with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.
Storage Tips
You can keep the unbaked fondants in their molds in the fridge for up to 1 day, or freeze them for 1 month. Then bake them from cold, adding 1–2 minutes, or from frozen, adding 5–6 minutes.
Then and Now
French chefs had long made soft chocolate cakes, but the molten-center dessert became famous in the late 1980s. Since then, it has appeared on restaurant menus all over the world as fondant au chocolat or lava cake. You can read more about molten chocolate cake on Wikipedia.
Chocolate Fondant Recipe FAQ
What is the difference between fondant and lava cake?
They are the same dessert. However, “fondant” is the French and British name, while “lava cake” is common in the United States.
Can I use milk chocolate?
You can, but the fondant will be sweeter and softer. Therefore, reduce the sugar by half.
Can I bake it in a muffin pan?
Yes. Grease the cups well and bake for only 7–8 minutes, since they are smaller.
Hungry for more? If you enjoyed this chocolate fondant recipe, our digital cookbook has 31 more recipes like this one, ready to print or read on your phone.
