This wonderful dessert will sink before your eyes if made to wait, so make sure your guests are ready and serve it straight from the oven.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

• Caster sugar, for coating ramekins
• 115 g/4 oz white chocolate
• 115 g/4 oz plain chocolate
• 55 g/2 oz caster sugar
• 3 large eggs, separated
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

Freeze the white chocolate for 15 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/Gas mark 6. Generously butter four 125 ml/5 fl oz ramekins. Half fill one ramekin with caster sugar and swirl around to coat the inside. Pour the sugar into the next ramekin and repeat until all 4 ramekins are coated.

Melt the plain chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Beat together the caster sugar, egg yolks and vanilla using an electric whisk until pale and smooth. Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and stir into the creamed egg mixture. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites with an electric whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold ½ the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, using a large metal spoon and a figure of 8 movement. Fold in the remaining egg whites, folding until the mixture is an even color.

Put one-eighth of the mixture in each ramekin. Top with a piece of chilled white chocolate and then fill the ramekins with the remaining mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until well risen and slightly spongy round the edges. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.