“This is quite a light, delicate chocolate cake, with a deliciously molten interior. The star anise is optional if you’re not a fan,” says TV chef Matt Tebbutt.

Chocolate pudding and mascarpone ice cream

Ingredients(Makes 10-12 little puddings)

For the mascarpone:350ml water150g caster sugarFinely grated zest and juice (about 75ml) of 2 unwaxed lemons400g mascarpone cheese

For the chocolate puddings:250g dark chocolate, broken into pieces250g unsalted butter125g caster sugar1 tsp freshly ground star anise, sieved (remove the seeds from the pod, and crush in a pestle and mortar), optional5 medium free-range eggs5 medium free-range egg yolks50g plain floura pinch of saltGood-quality cocoa powder, to serve (optional)

Method

1. Start both the ice cream and cake the day before. For the ice cream, simply boil the water, sugar and lemon zest in a saucepan. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and stir in the mascarpone with the lemon juice. Cool and chill in an ice-cream maker (be careful not to over-churn). Freeze in a suitable container.

2. For the chocolate pudding, melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water. In a bowl, whisk the sugar, powdered anise, whole eggs and egg yolks until light and pale. Slowly add the melted chocolate to the egg and sugar mixture. Carefully fold in the flour and salt. Pour the mixture into little 200ml non-stick moulds, filling them halfway. Chill in the fridge overnight.

3. Next day, preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.

4. Remove the pudding batter from the fridge, bring to room temperature and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, no longer. The outside of the cake mix should be set firm yet the middle will remain molten.

5. Serve the cake hot with the mascarpone ice cream and a dusting of cocoa powder, if liked.

Matt Tebbutt’s Pub Food by Matt Tebbutt is published in hardback by Quadrille on August 29, priced £26. Photography by Chris Terry.