Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding

Chocolate self-saucing pudding is a family favourite. Its a recipe that gets lost or forgotten for  years, but when found or remembered, is welcomed with open arms and tummies. There are many variations of this pudding out there. This one came from great grandma’s handwritten recipe book,  and is fondly referred to by me, as the Depression version. The copy of the recipe in the photo is one that I typed out many years ago and is covered in a whole lot of residue from the many times it has graced the kitchen bench.

The ingredients are simple and readily found in the pantry, and there’s not an egg to be seen. (Hence the reference to the Depression.) The other good thing is that you throw everything in a bowl, mix and bake. Its ten minutes worth of effort when everyone wants dessert but nobody wants to make it. This pudding is so popular, its even been selected as a birthday cake: a day when you can have anything your heart desires or your mind imagines, and you choose self-saucing pudding? When its cooked the cake rises to the top, leaving the gooey chocolate sauce at the bottom of the dish. The only problem is, you have to eat it as soon as it comes out of the oven, or the sauce thickens and becomes a bit gloopy.  We love it. Hope you do too.

• 1 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup castor sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1  1/4 cups boiling water

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Sift flour, castor sugar, and cocoa into a bowl. Add milk, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Mix together and place in a lightly greased pudding bowl. I use a 17cm soufflé dish.

Place the brown sugar, cocoa, and boiling water in a large container with a lid (a jar works perfectly) and shake well to combine. Pour over the liquid over the cake mixture.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the cake part is cooked.

Serve with whipped cream or ice-cream.