FALLEN CHOCOLATE SOUFFLE WITH ARMAGNAC PRUNES

I MAKE no apologies for including this recipe from The Winter Collection. Everyone loves it, and they deserve it at Christmas! Serves 6-8

For the souffle

200g (70–75% (7oz) cocoa dark solids) chocolate

110g (4oz) unsalted butter

1 tbsp Armagnac

4 eggs, separated

110g (4oz) golden caster sugar A little sifted icing sugar or cocoa, for dusting

For the Armagnac prunes

350g (12oz) Agen no-soak prunes

150ml (5fl oz) Armagnac

For the prune and creme fraiche sauce

The remainder of the soaked prunes

150ml (5fl oz) creme fraiche

You will also need a 20cm (8in) springform cake tin, greased and lined with baking parchment

The prunes need to be soaked overnight, so simply place them in a saucepan with 150ml (5fl oz) water and bring them up to simmering point, remove from the heat and pour the prunes and their cooking liquid into a bowl and stir in the Armagnac while they’re still warm. Leave to cool, then cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill in the fridge overnight.

To make the souffle, preheat the oven to 170c/ gas 3. Meanwhile, break the chocolate into squares and place them with the butter in a bowl.

Sit over a saucepan containing 5cm (2in) of barely simmering water, without the bowl touching the water — it will take five to ten minutes to become melted, smooth and glossy.

Now remove the bowl from the heat, add the Armagnac and leave it to cool. Next take a large bowl and combine the egg yolks and caster sugar in it. Then whisk them together for about five to six minutes, using an electric hand whisk — when you lift up the whisk and the mixture drops off making ribbon- like trails, it’s ready.

Now count out 18 of the soaked prunes, cut each one in half and combine the halves with the whisked egg mixture along with the melted chocolate.

Next you’ll need to wash the whisk thoroughly with hot soapy water to remove all the grease, and dry it well. In another bowl, whisk up the egg whites till they form soft peaks. After that, fold them carefully into the chocolate mixture. Spoon this mixture into the prepared tin and bake the souffle in the centre of the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the centre feels springy to the touch.

Allow the souffle to cool in the tin (it’s great fun watching it fall very slowly but don’t worry if it doesn’t).

When it’s quite cold, remove it from the tin, peel off the paper, then cover and chill for several hours (or it can be made two or three days ahead if more convenient).To make the sauce, simply liquidise the prunes reserved from above, together with their liquid.

Place the puree in the serving bowl and lightly stir in the creme fraiche to give a slightly marbled effect. Serve the souffle dusted with icing sugar or cocoa and cut into small slices (it’s very rich). hand the sauce round separately.

NOTE: The prunes soaked in Armagnac and served with creme fraiche make an extremely good dessert in their own right. Also the souffle and sauce freeze very well for up to a month.