How to make The Pudding:

Set the oven to 190°C/375°F (conventional oven) or 170°C/350°F (fan oven) or Gas Mark 5 and put a pot of water on to boil.

Grease the insides of the pudding tins with butter.

About five minutes before the oven is due to come to temperature, place the chocolate and the butter, cut into pieces, in the glass bowl over the boiling water to create a bain-marie. Stir occasionally. Weigh out the sugar and sieved cocoa powder.

Add a pinch of salt.

Break the eggs into the small bowl and beat with a fork.

Place a towel where you will be mixing the pudding.

Once the chocolate and butter has completely melted, transfer the bowl and place on the towel.

Add the sugar, cocoa powder and salt and fold to mix completely.

Add the eggs and then whisk with the electric whisk, to add air and dissolve the grains of sugar.

Spoon the mixture into the pudding tins, dividing it equally between them, filling almost to the top.

Place the tins on a baking tray and place in the centre of the oven.

Bake for 12 minutes (wetter, richer result) to 16 minutes (for a more cake-like result) and remove from the oven and allow the puddings to cool in the tins for 5 minutes.

The puddings will have risen slightly above the top of the tins, but will shrink as it cools.

Turn the puddings out, flat side down, onto their serving plates.

How to make The Ganache:

Break the chocolate pieces into smaller pieces and place in a ceramic or glass bowl.

Heat the cream gently in a saucepan, stirring constantly, without allowing it to boil.

Remove from the heat and pour the hot cream over the chocolate.

Stir gently until all of the chocolate has melted into the cream.

Note: Ganache is equal parts cream and chocolate and warm cream should always be added to the chocolate, not the reverse.

How to make The Ganache: Spoon the warm ganache over the top of the puddings, allowing it to drip down the sides.

Note: this dessert can be served cool, but it is best to pour the ganache over the pudding as near to serving as possible.