Little Pots of Baked Chocolate

Hello dear!

I can't say I'm surprised at all by Margo's ostentatious new kitchen - if ever there was a woman who had it all and never tired of telling us about it, it's her. Chandeliers?! But I do see a chink in her armour - did you say a shiny red food processor? I thought Margo was a stickler for the wooden spoon and mixing bowl; what a duplicitous woman she is. I shall no longer feel inferior because I have to get by with a Sainsbury's Basics electric whisk! I can work wonders with it and don't need to pretend; I bet she distresses shop bought mince pies at Christmas and passes them off as her own...

This evening I am feeling most satisfied, even a little smug. After a particularly challenging week, I decided that the Chino Family needed a little spoiling and set to planning a lovely evening meal. We ate chicken and mushroom risotto followed by Little Pots of Baked Chocolate (heavenly!) and yes, the 'molten chocolate centre' did 'ooze out' as I broke the crust. I believe that even Raymond Blanc would have been impressed.

[This picture was taken after the pudding had cooled so, Margo, the inside is not oozing.]

The recipe required 300g of good plain chocolate; when I came to inspect the contents of my larder cupboard, I only had 200g of Bourneville; drat! I rifled through the fridge and found another 50g and a single chocolate from a Christmas variety box; getting closer! But how could I make up the final 50g? In desperation (on so many levels) I was forced to use the last of my Cherry Green & Blacks. What resulted was actually quite pleasant, however, one of my youngest nearly went apoplectic when he came across the alien fruit in his desert. Honestly, if it's not a banana, he won't go near it. I bet Margo's children eat all sorts of exotic things. By the way, what is that black speck in the marmalade? Heaven forbid it's anything untoward; as long as it's not your charred flesh, Lucy...

Speak soon, Cathy x