What better way to show you care, than a piping hot fondant, kissed with the sweet scent of Orange & Lavender, that first cut yielding bitter chocolate lava onto your plate?

Inspired by our exclusive Valentine's collaboration with Caroline Gardner, our foodie friend Suze Morrison has created a delicious recipe of Orange & Lavender Molten Chocolate Fondants. 

Suze is an amazingly talented development Chef and food obsessive from Dorset. She truly believes that food nourishes the mind, body and soul - unifying us all together. To see more of her work, make sure you follow @gourmetglow

Orange & Lavender Molten Chocolate Fondants 

Easy to prepare and even easier to eat.

Ingredients:

1 Unwaxed Orange, zest

¼ tsp Culinary Lavender Buds, crushed in a spice Grinder

25g Plain Flour

20g Cocoa Powder, plus extra to dust

Small Pinch Salt

100g Dark Chocolate (70% or above), melted

110g Unsalted Butter

100g Icing Sugar

2 Eggs

2 Egg Yolks

Extra Orange Zest & Whipped Cream to serve

Method:

1. Prepare your moulds. Generously butter 4 Dariole Moulds or Ramekins and dust with cocoa powder, set aside in the fridge to chill.
2. Mix the crushed lavender with the flour, cocoa and salt and set aside.
3. Add the butter and icing sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, yolks and zest and beat again, the mixture will split but this is fine, the heat of the chocolate will bring it back together.
5. Add the melted chocolate and gently mix until homogenous with no streaks.
6. Add the flour mixture and stir through, be careful not to overmix.
7. Divide the batter between your 4 moulds, filling ¾ way to the top. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and pop into the fridge for at least 2 hours to set.
8. When set, preheat oven 180C fan. Bake the fondants for 10-12 minutes or until the top looks dry but has not cracked.
9. Allow the fondants to sit for exactly 60 seconds before inverting onto a plate.
10. Garnish with cream and orange zest and serve straight away.