Making Glitzy Chocolate Puddings In Advance

Our answer

Nigella's Glitzy Chocolate Puddings (from NIGELLA EXPRESS) are chocolate sponges that are served warm, topped with a chocolate sauce-like glaze and crushed honeycomb. The sponge mixture is based on whisked eggs, which means that the air trapped in the mixture is the main form of leavening, causing the sponges to rise. This makes it a little easier to make the mixture in advance, though the sponges will be lightest and at their best if they are baked as soon as the batter has been made.

We would suggest making the batter up to 6 hours in advance of baking the puddings. Cover the pots loosely and leave them in the fridge until needed. Bake the chilled pots at the same temperature but put a baking sheet into the oven to heat up when you turn the oven on and put the pots directly onto the hot baking sheet. This will give the pots a slight extra boost of heat when they go into the oven. As the pots are fridge cold they may need slightly longer to bake but we suggest having a quick peek after 25 minutes of baking and allowing up to an extra 5 minutes of cooking time, if necessary. The sponges are baked when they are risen and set on top and look just firm at the centre. The sauce is very quick to make, so we suggest making it while the pots bake.