“Yum. These are amazing. Really good. Scrumptious even,” Brian exclaimed over dessert last week. When we met (way too long ago), my husband didn’t have much of a sweet tooth. In fact, I don’t even remember there being a box of cookies, or the lone candy wrapper blowing around like a tumbleweed in his apartment the first time I visited his abode. This was not the case for me. I always had a little sweet treat squirreled away. Who knew when that bar of chocolate I was saving for a rainy day would have come in handy? And it always did whenever I would start jonesing too hard.

But as the years progressed, sugar, and I, with our very own close personal relationship, began to wear him down. Brian still does not lap up pools of chocolate sauce, or partake of enormous slices of cake, with the buttercream whipped into icy peaks, on a regular basis; but a biscuit or a cookie, an ascetic slice of apple galette, or a dish of coffee ice cream is now enjoyed at the end of dinner. (He has not caught up with my consumption of dessert after each meal, save breakfast, but I have a lifetime to work on him.)

With this little bit of background information, you can imagine my surprise about his proclamation in favor of these little desserts that I whipped up with ingredients that I had on hand. The yumming and mmming continued as Brian poured a bit of fresh cream on top of the pudding, letting it sink down into the chocolatey porridge. My husband is always one of my biggest fans in the kitchen, thanking me wholeheartedly for each meal, and doing up all of the dishes diligently– but even I was aghast at his gusto. What had become of my dessert dilettante?

Then I remembered: Brian meet Nigel Slater; Nigel, Brian. It is no secret that I am a die-hard fan of Mr. Slater. His recipes are beautiful, unfussed-with charms, and his book, The Kitchen Diaries, demonstrates the philosophy that just about anything that is pleasing and delicious can make up a meal. Nigel ate these puddings on Valentine’s Day, and although I had them about six weeks too early, I’m surely glad that I did.

With just a handful of ingredients, and only two mixing bowls, when throwing the ingredients together, I started to wonder how they would taste. But upon baking, the aromatic smell of chocolate melting in the oven told me that these little puddings, dark and brooding, would be divine. With a crisp shell, and the look of a fallen soufflé, the pudding was light– almost airy in consistency. And the flavor was just right– not too over-the-top, nor too rich. The puddings called out for a bit of unwhipped cream to make the whole mess even more of a treat.

Give these puddings a try. Even the non-dessert lovers or the Brians that you are cooking for will love them.

Hot Chocolate Puddings
from The Kitchen Diaries

serves 4-5

7 ounces dark fine-quality chocolate
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
2 ounces butter
2 heaping tablespoons chocolate-hazelnut spread

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly butter four (or five) small, ovenproof ramekins.

Break chocolate into small pieces, then melt in a double boiler. Meanwhile, separate the eggs, putting the yolks in a medium-sized mixing bowl with the sugar. Beat until thick and creamy. Place the egg whites in a large bowl, whip until airy and almost stiff.

Stir the butter into the melted chocolate. When the butter has melted, add the chocolate-hazelnut spread stirring to combine. Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg and sugar, then carefully fold in the beaten egg whites. Be careful not to overmix, but make sure there are no streaks of egg white that are unincorporated.

Scoop the mixture into the buttered ramekins and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Pudding should rise a bit, with the tops being cracked with the centers remaining molten. Should you open one too early, or would like it more baked, these puddings can simply be popped back into the oven.