Chocolate Pudding

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An impressive dessert for a special occasion, this tasty chocolate sponge is served with a glossy chocolate sauce. It's ideal for entertaining as the pudding ingredients can be mixed and left for up to 2 hours, or until you're ready to start cooking.

Serves 2

For the chocolate pudding:
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
50 g/2 oz/¼ cup light brown sugar
40 g/1½ oz self-raising flour
15 ml/1 tbsp cocoa (unsweetened chocolate) powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
10 ml/2 tsp milk
For the hot chocolate sauce:
15 g/½ oz/1 tbsp butter
75 g/3 oz plain (semi-sweet) chocolate, broken into squares, or plain chocolate chips
45 ml/3 tbsp milk
30 ml/2 tbsp double (heavy) cream
15 ml/1 tbsp golden (light corn) syrup


  1. Place an upturned saucer or a metal pastry (paste) cutter in the base of the ceramic cooking pot. Pour in about 5 cm/2 in of hot (not boiling) water, then turn on the slow cooker to High.
  2. To make the chocolate pudding, grease a 450 ml/¾ pint/2 cup pudding basin and line the base with a circle of greaseproof (waxed) paper or baking parchment.
  3. Put the butter and sugar in a bowl and stir for a few seconds until mixed together. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, then add the egg and milk and beat everything together for about 2 minutes until well mixed and light. Spoon and scrape the mixture into the prepared basin and smooth the top. Cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) or lightly greased foil.
  4. Place the pudding basin on top of the saucer or pastry cutter in the pot, then pour in enough boiling water to come two-thirds up the side of the basin. Cover with the lid and cook for 2-3 hours or until the sponge is well risen and firm to the touch. Carefully remove from the pot and leave, still covered, to stand for a few minutes while making the sauce.
  5. To make the sauce, put all the ingredients in a heatproof bowl and place in the still-hot water in the ceramic cooking pot. Leave for 5 minutes or until the butter and chocolate have melted, then whisk the sauce until smooth. Turn out the pudding on to a warm plate, pour over the sauce and serve.


Cook's tips
The pudding can be made up to the end of step 3 and left in a cool place for up to 2 hours before cooking.
Reheat the second portion of the pudding in an overproof dish covered with foil in a low oven and the sauce in a bowl over a pan of hot water, or spoon the sauce over the pudding and reheat in the microwave.