Delicious Chocolate Rum Pudding

This is an easy but impressive chocolate pudding laced with Jamaican Rum


40g/1 1/2 oz breadcrumbs
25g/1 oz ground almonds
175 ml/6fl oz double cream
50ml/2 fl oz dark Jamaican Rum
150g/51/2 oz dark chocolate, broken up in pieces
50g/1 3/4 oz unsalted butter
3 eggs, separated
125g/4 1/2 oz golden caster sugar

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Combine the breadcrumbs, the ground almonds, cream and rum in a large bowl and leave for 30 mins. Meanwhile, place the chocolate pieces in a pan and set over simmering hot water and gently melt it. Butter six individual souffle dishes and dust them with ground almonds. Cream together the butter, egg yolks and 50g 1 3/4 oz of the sugar in a mixer or food processor. Combine this with the breadcrumb mixture, then stir in the melted chocolate.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff then whisk in the remaining sugar in about three goes, whisking well with each addition until you have a glossy meringue. Fold a quarter of this into the chocolate mixture, then add the remainder. Spoon into the prepared souffle dishes and bake for 30-40 minutes. Don't worry if they sink slightly in the middle. The puddings can be reheated for 10 mins in the oven at 180C/350F/gas mark 4 when required.


TO SERVE: run a knife around the edge of the puddings and turn them on to 6 dessert plates. Spoon over some more rum and serve immediately with vanilla ice cream.