Ingredients
Serves 4-6
¾ cup plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting moulds
1 cup unsweetened Valrhona cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 ½ cups plus 3 tbsp castor sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp brandy
340g unsalted butter, softened, plus a little extra for greasing moulds
170g bittersweet chocolate (ie at least 55% cocoa), chopped into very small pieces
Pure icing sugar, to serve
Good quality vanilla bean ice cream, to serve
Vanilla-flavoured Persian fairy floss, to serve
Method
Equipment required
• Fine sieve
• Disposable piping bag
• 10 timbale moulds
• Electric mixer (ie kitchenaid or similar)
• Spatula
• Fine wooden skewer or toothpick
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter and flour the timbale moulds and put on a baking tray. Set aside.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.
Using an electric mixer, mix together the eggs and sugar on a medium speed for 3 to five minutes or until very thick and pale in colour. Mix in the vanilla and the brandy.
Reduce the speed of the mixer and gradually add the dry ingredients and the butter alternatively, adding about ⅓ of each at a time. Add the chocolate and mix to combine.
Transfer the batter to a piping bag without a tip. Fill each mould about two thirds full. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 mins. When the tops look shiny and set, test with a skewer or toothpick. It should come out clean but not dry. Cool the bouchons on a rack. After a couple of minutes, invert the timbale moulds and let the bouchons cool upside down in the moulds, then lift off the moulds.
To serve, invert the bouchons on the serving plate and dust with a little icing sugar. Serve topped with vanilla flavoured Persian fairy floss with some good quality vanilla bean ice cream along side.