DEATH BY CHOCOLATE PUDDING
Recipe and photo: Elsabie Templeton
- 250 ml cake flour
- 10 ml baking powder
- 1 ml salt
- 125 ml sugar
- 30 ml cocoa
- 30 ml soft butter or margarine
- 125 ml milk
- 2,5 ml vanilla essence
- Topping:
- 50 ml cocoa
- 125 ml soft brown sugar – treacle sugar (I use Demarara or Muscovado, both from Hullets)
- 500 ml hot water
- whipped cream or ice cream for serving
- Select an ovenproof dish with capacity of approx 2 litres as mixture rises during baking and then sinks back again during cooling.
- Place flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cocoa in the dish (do not grease the dish).
- Stir together the dry ingredients to combine, add the soft butter or margarine and milk and mix to form a smooth thick batter.
- Smooth the top of the batter with back of spoon and wipe the sides of the dish clean with a damp cloth.
- Combine the sugar and cocoa for the topping and sprinkle over the batter.
- Pour the hot water over and bake uncovered at 180 ºC for about 35 min or until a custard has formed in the base of the dish and the crust is firm and crisp.
- Serve hot with ice cream or cool slightly and serve with cream.
Notes:
I’ve noticed if baking in a gas oven you have to increase the period by approximately 15 minutes (to compensate for the moisture generated by the gas) to produce a thoroughly baked pudding and in order to get a crispy topping.
Storing:
This pudding is at its best shortly after or on the day of baking.
Enlarging:
Make more puddings in separate dishes.
Microwave instructions:
This pudding cooks very successfully in the microwave oven for a much shorter period of time. Microwave uncovered on high for about 12 minutes or until the top is firm and springs back when tested with the fingertips.
