Last updated 09:18, Saturday, 12 April 2008

He may be a millionaire with restaurants scattered round the world, but super-chef Gordon Ramsay still had to pass the test of a group of Wigton schoolkids.

Star treatment: Rachel Benn, left, and Becky Faulder, both year nine pupils from The Nelson Thomlinson School, Wigton, developing a recipe for Wigton's Youth Station cookbook

The Michelin-starred celebrity has contributed to a recipe book to raise funds for the Wigton Youth Station.

But the junior chefs had to test it first, before they agreed to include it in their book.

Volunteer worker Sam Massey explained: “We have a Wednesday night project where a group come to cook and learn about healthy eating and they suggested a recipe book to raise funds.

“We decided to write one based on the theme of snacks and wrote to local people and celebrities to ask for their ideas.

“Gordon Ramsay kindly supplied a chocolate snack, we made it the following week and it was good enough to include.

“We had to test it! We tested them all,”added Sam.”

The Wednesday night cookery group of nine youngsters, aged from 11 to 14, came up with the recipe book idea as a way of raising much-needed funds.

The youth club has been open to youngsters for 10 years in a town where four years ago anti-social behaviour prompted a night-time curfew for youths – the first of its kind in the country.

But the cash-strapped centre has struggled to survive and ran into financial difficulty last year when it was threatened with closure.

“We wanted to provide youngsters with ideas for something better than a Mars Bar as well as some treat ideas,” explained Sam. The book goes on sale in Wigton in a few weeks, priced at £3.50.

Mr Ramsay will be sent a free copy as a thank you.

To place an order, call 01674 78038.

Gordon Ramsey’s Hot Chocolate Fondant

Gordon says: “Whenever I’m asked for my favourite recipe, this is the one.

“It has a divine melting texture and the liquid centre is sublime.”

Ingredients

50g unsalted butter (plus a bit extra to grease)

2 teaspoons of cocoa powder to dust

50g good-quality bitter chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids) broken into pieces

1 free-range egg

1 free-range egg yolk

60g caster sugar

50g plain flour

Method

Heat the oven to 160°C. Butter two large ramekins, about 7.5cm in diameter, then dust with cocoa powder.

Slowly melt the chocolate and butter in a small bowl set over a pan of hot water, then take off the heat and stir until smooth.

Leave to cool for 10 minutes.

Using an electric whisk beat the whole egg, egg yolk and sugar together until pale and thick, and then add the chocolate mixture.

Sift the flour over the mixture and gently fold in using a large metal spoon. Divide between the ramekins and bake for 12 minutes.

Turn the chocolate fondants out on to warmed plates and serve immediately.