Anyone who has failed to make a perfectly domed molten chocolate pudding with a lava-like interior should take solace in this foolproof, crowd-pleasing variation. This recipe relies on good quality dark chocolate and only the smallest amount of flour, to get that irresistible oozing interior and slightly cakey surround. If you choose to make this as a dessert for friends and family, it may be worth noting that you can prepare the batter in advance and only bake it in the oven just before you are ready to serve it.

Preheat your oven 180 degrees Celsius/gas 4). Grease a baking dish with a little butter.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Remove from the heat and gently stir through half the chopped chocolate, until melted.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until they become pale and thick. Pour in the chocolate mixture, then sift in the flour. Add the remaining chocolate and, using a spatula, fold the mixture together until it is evenly combined.

Bake for 20 minutes. When cooked, the pudding should be slightly firm around the sides but the centre should still be wobbly. Serve immediately, with vanilla ice-cream, or just as it is.