Warm chocolate cake

(Serves 6)

Butter for greasing ramekins
Cocoa powder
150g 70 per cent chocolate
3 eggs, plus 2 egg whites
5 scant dessertspoons, plus 2 teaspoons, caster sugar

Butter and dust with cocoa 6 x 100 ml ramekins. Break up the chocolate, and melt in a bowl, set over hot water. Remove from the heat.

In a another bowl, set over hot water, beat the eggs with the larger quantity of sugar until pale and the mixture leaves ribbons when trailed from the whisk. With a clean whisk, whisk the egg whites with the remaining caster sugar until firm.

Carefully, and gradually, fold together the melted chocolate, the egg yolk and egg white mixtures. Spoon into the ramekins, place them in a roasting tin with a little water, and place in a preheated oven at 160˚C, gas mark 3 for 15 to 20 minutes, or one notch up for 12 to 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and allow the cakes to cool in the ramekins for a few minutes until they begin to shrink from the edge. The mixture will have risen during cooking but will now begin to sink.

With a knife, ease round the cakes, and gently turn them out onto serving plates, dusting them with icing sugar, or cocoa, if you wish.

Vanilla ice cream will go well with these light moist cakes or puddings, which should still be creamy right in the centre.