Molten chocolate puddings
A deliberately under-baked sponge. The liquid centre is timing, not a separate sauce, and the margin is about a minute.
A molten pudding is a rich chocolate sponge baked only until the edges set, leaving the centre unbaked. There is no filling — the middle is the same batter, stopped early.
That makes timing the whole technique, and the margin is roughly a minute. Under by a minute and it collapses when turned out; over by a minute and it is a small chocolate cake.
The reliable approach is to chill the filled moulds and bake from cold, which widens the margin by slowing the centre relative to the edges.
- What it is for
- To bake a chocolate sponge that sets at the edges and stays liquid at the centre.
- Working temperature
- 190–200°C — Oven temperature. A hot oven sets the edge fast and leaves the centre behind, which is the entire mechanism.
- Works with
- Dark chocolate, Bittersweet chocolate
Method
1. Butter and cocoa the moulds thoroughly — flour leaves a pale crust.
2. Fill and chill for at least an hour, then bake from cold in a hot oven.
Where people go wrong: Baking at room temperature, which narrows the margin between molten and baked to almost nothing.
3. Bake until the edges are set and the centre still moves when the mould is tapped, then rest a minute before turning out.
Where people go wrong: Turning out immediately, which tears the fragile edge.
When it goes wrong
| Symptom | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Collapsed on turning out | Under-baked, or turned out too soon. | A minute longer in the oven and a minute's rest before turning out. |
| No molten centre | Over-baked by a minute or two. | Chill the moulds before baking, which widens the window. |
Related
Works with
- Dark chocolateA deliberately under-baked sponge. The liquid centre is timing, not a separate sauce, and the margin is about a minute.
- Bittersweet chocolateA deliberately under-baked sponge. The liquid centre is timing, not a separate sauce, and the margin is about a minute.
Covered in
- Best chocolate for mousseThe other dessert where timing rather than composition decides the result.
Sources
- ChocolateHQ editorial synthesis — ChocolateHQ(citation identity confirmed; passage not re-read)