These delicious sticky chocolate delights are as comforting as a roaring fire and a bottle of good red wine or a down duvet and an electric blanket on a cold winter's evening.

What I love about them is that they are so easy to make and you can make them in advance, with just a few minutes needed before serving. Best of all, you can freeze them for up to a month.

I also prefer individual puddings as opposed to the general norm for home entertaining and family meals, the Big Pudding Bowl in the centre of the table.

These gooey delights are equally delightful in summer as in winter, so don't forget to save the recipe for the warmer days served with chilled cream or ice cream.

To serve four or more portions of these sticky treats you need:

Ingredients

250g butter

200g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces

4 tablespoons Tia Maria (or dark rum)

130g caster sugar

4 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

65g plain flour, sifted

Icing sugar and ground cinnamon powder to dust over the puddings just before serving

Method

Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius.

Lightly butter small ovenproof ramekins (they should be about 150ml each).

Place the chocolate and the butter in a mixing bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water.

Once the butter and chocolate have melted, remove from heat and add Tia Maria (or dark rum).

Stir well and put aside.

In another bowl whisk together the sugar, yolks, whole eggs and vanilla for 10 minutes or until the mixture resembles a mousse.

Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture and add the sifted flour and cinnamon.

Fold it together gently, then divide into the ramekins and bake for10 to 13 minutes until just firm around the edges.

If you serve the tarts fairly soon after taking them out of the oven they will still be sticky inside.

Dust with icing sugar and a little more cinnamon just before serving.