Who can resist chocolate, prized for thousands of years since the Aztecs and Mayans of South America discovered the beans of the theobroma tree – meaning “fruit of the gods”? Crushing the beans, mixing them with water, vanilla beans or chilli peppers became a ceremonial drink, then the Aztecs added honey to their cacao drink, making it sweet and pre-empting the modern preference for sweetened chocolate. Most of us see chocolate as “a bit of a treat” but chocolate and cocoa are indispensable in home baking. Personal preference and cost plays a role when cooking with chocolate. My advice: Buy what is best for the job. Use everyday chocolate or cocoa for economical, tasty family cakes and puddings; for special treats or finer desserts buy the best you can afford for better flavour.

Ingredients

• 100 grams butter, diced
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 5 eggs at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 275 grams dark quality chocolate, melted
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Lightly grease 6x ¾ cup capacity ovenproof ramekins and sit them on a tray.
2. In a food processor, put the butter, sugar, eggs and flour and process lightly to make a smooth batter. Add the cooled, melted chocolate and Grand Marnier and pulse to mix well. Divide equally among the ramekins.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, until the sides have begun to rise but the centre is still soft and sauce-like. Serve immediately dusted with sugar if wished.

Cooks Tips

- Chocolate must be melted gently and not come in contact with any moisture, otherwise it turns into a hard, granular mass. Put chopped chocolate in a heat-proof bowl or double saucepan and place over simmering water, making sure the bottom of the container doesn’t come in to contact with the water and no water gets in to the chocolate. Take it off the heat when there are still small lumps, then stir until completely smooth which ensures the chocolate doesn’t burn. - Chocolate is best stored well wrapped away from light and heat, but not in the fridge where it can pick up unwanted odours. Dark chocolate, well sealed in the right conditions, will keep for about a year or a bit longer, milk chocolate for about six months, while white chocolate does not keep well. - The white, often gritty marks that appear on chocolate are usually due to improper storage. It doesn’t diminish its cooking quality, only its appearance. - If wished, you can make this recipe in advance until required and allow a few minutes cooking time.