Stuart’s a whizz in the kitchen
Stuart Faulds from Cumnock works as a fulltime chef at Dumfries House, three years after being hired to work there as a kitchen porter.
“Working at Woodlands is great experience for me as I get to cook great food using fresh produce for both local people and tourists,” he says.
“It’s always a privilege when I see my former teachers or people I grew up with coming in to enjoy our food. Under head chef Tom Scoble, I’m constantly improving and learning new techniques.”
Stuart and his colleagues at Woodlands will regularly share with Ayrshire Post readers a selection of seasonal, make- athome recipes.
Here, Stuart explains how to make a rich and indulgent chocolate fondant that’s sure to satisfy.
The Dish
Our chocolate fondant is one of the most indulgent desserts we serve at Woodlands. It’s a delicious chocolate sponge pudding with a runny chocolate river running through the middle. We pair it with lime sorbet which makes it a really fun and unique dessert as the contrasting flavours are reminiscent of the old Scottish chocolate limes sweeties.
Making chocolate fondant desserts at home is actually quite straightforward and can be inexpensive.
To make enough to serve five people, all you need is 125g unsalted butter, 125g dark chocolate, 150g caster sugar, three whole eggs and 35g flour. Ideally, you should look for dark chocolate that contains 70 per cent cocoa as, although it will be slightly more expensive, it will have a richer taste. You can get a good quality block of dark chocolate for about £ 2 in local shops and supermarkets.
Start off by melting the butter in a bowl over a pot of simmering water then gradually add the chocolate.
Once they are combined, take the mixture off the heat so that it doesn’t burn. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs together until they are thoroughly mixed, then add the sugar and egg mix to the melted chocolate and butter and whisk all the ingredients together.
Next, sieve the flour into the mix and fold through until it is incorporated with the chocolate mix. Line five small moulds with greaseproof paper and pour the mix evenly across them before baking them at 180C for 10- 12 minutes.
You will know they are ready when they are sponge- like but soft to the touch.
I’d recommend serving these with a refreshing sorbet rather than ice cream to ensure they aren’t too heavy. In the restaurant, we often recommend people have this dessert after one of our lighter mains such as our popular seafood medley with mushrooms, fennel and crab.
Woodlands is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 6- 9pm and on Sundays from 12- 3pm.
To make a reservation call 01290 425959.
I’d recommend serving these with a refreshing sorbet rather than ice cream to ensure they aren’t too heavy