Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding

Nearly everyone loves a chocolate pudding and this version is chocolatey enough to satisfy the sweet urge without being overly rich.

Early in my cooking life I made it with whatever cocoa we had in the pantry, however, it is much better made with good quality Dutch cocoa.

The cocoa  that I used.

This picture shows the difference in colour - the Dutch cocoa is much darker than the cocoa that was purchased at the supermarket. Either cocoa can be used, the Dutch cocoa produces a darker and more intensely flavoured version.





The recipe can be easily doubled or tripled. I have been  known to make this pudding in a very large dish - enough for 30 or so  people, perfect for a crowd on a cold evening. I usually make the pudding in the food processor and it can be made in advance, the sauce added just before it needs to be baked.

The pudding in progress

Spoon the pudding mixture into a greased casserole dish.

Mix the cocoa and sugar together and sprinkle over the pudding mixture.

Carefully pour the boiling water over the pudding and sauce mixture. Stand on another tray and bake 170 deg C

until the pudding top feels firm and tests cooked with a skewer

As it bakes the sauce mixture sinks through the pudding mixture. The finished pudding is on top and sauce is underneath.

Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding

Pudding 60 g soft butter 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla ¾ cup SR flour 1 ½ tablespoons cocoa 1/2 cup milk

Sauce 1 ½  tablespoons cocoa 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 ¼ cups boiling water

Use conventional baking techniques or mix the pudding in the food processor.

Beat butter and sugar together, add vanilla and egg. Mix well.

Sift/mix cocoa and flour.

Stir the flour mixture and milk alternately into the butter mixture.

Spoon the pudding mixture into a greased casserole dish.

To make the sauce

Mix the cocoa and sugar together.

Sprinkle over the pudding mixture.

Carefully pour the boiling water over the pudding and sauce mixture.

Bake 170 deg C until the pudding top feels firm and tests cooked with a skewer. Approximately 45 minutes.

Makes 4 generous serves.