A Cup of Tea and Cake’s Maple Caramel Chocolate Puddings

For the maple caramel

• 115ml water
• 250g maple sugar
• 230ml double cream
• 45g salted butter

For the chocolate puddings

• 125g unsalted butter + extra for greasing your ramekins
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 150g dark chocolate, broken into squares
• 75g maple sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 90ml dry stout
• 50g plain flour

To finish

• Clotted cream
• Drizzle of pure Canadian maple syrup (preferably dark syrup for its robust taste)

To make the caramel

1. In a saucepan, combine the maple sugar and water. Stir with a wooden spoon.
2. Place the saucepan on a low heat and allow the mixture to amalgamate for around 3-5 minutes, until the sugar has completely dissolved. During this time, do not mix or stir the sugar.
3. Increase the heat to medium and bring the sugar syrup to a simmer. Again, do not stir. Have patience with the mixture – stirring will only cause the sugar to crystallise and become grainy.
4. Keeping an eye on the caramel at all times, you’ll notice it will begin to change colour. Monitor it closely to avoid it from burning and continue to heat until it turns a golden amber colour. Do not attempt to taste the caramel as hot sugar is very hot and will cause burns!
5. Remove from the heat and pour in half of the cream. The mixture will foam up so be careful as you do this. Stir and then add the remaining cream and butter, mixing again until you get a consistent colour in the caramel.
6. Carefully pour the caramel into a heatproof dish and let it cool for around 20 minutes. Then cover with plastic wrap and leave to firm up in the fridge overnight.

To make the chocolate puddings

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/350F then grease 4 large ramekins with butter. Dust the insides with cocoa powder and tip out the excess, ensuring the sides and bottoms are completely coated. Place on a baking tray until needed.
2. Place the butter and dark chocolate into a heatproof bowl, then set it on top of a saucepan filled with a little water to create a bain-marie. Heat on a low to medium heat, stirring the mixture until completely melted. Set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, use electric beaters to beat the sugar, eggs and dry stout for 6-7 mins until thick, frothy and pale.
4. Fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the eggs, then sift in the flour, and fold to combine.
5. Carefully spoon the mixture into the moulds until they’re half full, then add a teaspoon of the maple caramel mixture in the centre and top the puddings with a little more chocolate mixture until they’re two-thirds full – leaving some space for the mixture to rise. Place in the fridge for 1 hour to firm up.
6. Remove from the fridge and bake for ~15 mins until they’re set on the top but still have a good wobble in the middle.
7. Serve the puddings straight from the oven – either in their moulds or use a palette knife to carefully loosen the edges and invert to release.
8. Top with clotted cream and a generous drizzle of maple syrup.