Soft-centred chocolate budini with milk ice-cream

1.For milk ice-cream, bring milk, cream and half the sugar to the boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring continuously to dissolve sugar. Whisk yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl until pale (3-4 minutes). Add one-quarter of milk mixture, whisk continuously until incorporated, then add remaining milk mixture and whisk to combine. Transfer to a clean saucepan and stir continuously over low-medium heat until mixture reaches 76C on a sugar thermometer and coats the back of a wooden spoon thickly (2-3 minutes). Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl placed over ice, cool to room temperature, then refrigerate to chill. Freeze in an ice-cream machine until firm (3-4 hours). Makes about 700ml.

2.Melt chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water (2-3 minutes), then cool slightly.

3.Whisk eggs, yolks and sugar in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy (5-6 minutes). Fold in one-quarter of chocolate mixture, then fold in remaining mixture. Sift over flour and fold to incorporate. Divide between six 250ml buttered and floured dariole moulds, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set (6 hours-overnight).

4.Preheat oven to 180C. Bake puddings until just set and centres are still soft (10-12 minutes), turn out carefully. Serve hot with ice-cream.