Ingredients
300ml thickened cream
200g chocolate (70% dark cocoa), finely chopped
125g unsalted cultured butter
5 free-range eggs
1 free-range egg yolk
150g dark brown sugar
50g plain flour
50g malted milk powder
200ml milk
½ cup caster sugar
1½ tsp vanilla bean extract
¾ tsp almond essence
1 Tbsp cornflour
Icing sugar, chopped strawberries and mint leaves, to serve
Method
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For chocolate sauce, put 100ml of the cream in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in 100g of the chocolate. Pour into a shallow tray. Refrigerate for 1 hour until firm.
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Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced (220°C conventional). Grease and flour four 1-cup-capacity baking moulds and put on a tray. Line each mould base with baking paper.
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Put remaining chocolate and butter in a bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water until just melted. Whisk in 3 of the eggs, yolk and brown sugar. Stir in flour and malt.
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Spoon half of the batter into prepared moulds. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until firm. Put a small scoop of frozen chocolate sauce onto each pudding (there will be sauce remaining), top with remaining batter, freeze for 1 hour until firm.
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Meanwhile, combine remaining cream, milk, caster sugar, vanilla and essence in a microwave-proof jug and heat on MEDIUM until very hot to touch, approximately 11/2 minutes. Put remaining eggs, cornflour and 2 tablespoons of water in a bowl; whisk to combine. Add hot cream mixture, whisk, return to microwave-proof jug. Microwave on MEDIUM in 30-second intervals, stirring after each, until custard just thickens.
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Bake puddings from frozen on a preheated oven tray for 12-15 minutes until tops just spring back. Set aside for 5 minutes; remove from moulds.
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Meanwhile, melt remaining frozen chocolate sauce in a saucepan on medium heat. Dust lava cakes with icing sugar and serve with custard, chocolate sauce, strawberries and mint.