Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding is a timeless dessert that should be in everyone’s repertoire! A single batter magically transforms into a moist chocolate cake with a luscious chocolate sauce. It’s quick enough for a midweek indulgence and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for dinner parties.
My week began with Cottage Pie, followed by a hearty Stovetop Mac and Cheese on Wednesday, and now we’re wrapping up the week with this delightful Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding.
It appears that Comfort Food Week was in full swing on RecipeTin Eats, and somehow, I missed my own memo.
Back in my younger days, I was utterly enchanted by self-saucing puddings. I always found them almost magical. A single batter goes into the oven, looking deceptively innocent, and then, when you dig in – voilà! Your eyes light up at the sight of that decadent chocolate sauce! Okay, let me clarify that statement a bit; it’s a bit more than just one batter, but not by much. All it involves is sprinkling a mixture of sugar and cocoa over the batter and pouring hot water over it. As it bakes, this concoction sinks to the bottom of the dish, passing through the cake, rendering it incredibly moist (I absolutely love this concept!), and ultimately reducing down to create a delightful sauce.
Take a look at the photo above, where I’m pouring the hot water over the back of a spoon. The idea behind this technique is to gently distribute the water onto the sugar topping, trying to maintain as even a surface as possible so that the pudding comes out of the oven with a uniform appearance.
I’m not an expert in this aspect. Also, my recipe uses a slightly higher water-to-sugar ratio compared to most classic recipes because I prefer a sauce that’s more, well, saucy, rather than a thick paste. Although, let me be clear, even a thick paste still tastes amazing! It’s all about personal preference.
So, because I use a bit more water, the top of my pudding isn’t perfectly smooth. Less water results in a smoother surface but less sauce.
See? Here’s my sauce. It’s pourable but has a rich thickness, not watery. You can even scrape some from the bottom of the baking dish and drizzle it over the pudding. I’ve never been bothered by the slightly textured top of my puddings, but if it were a concern, I’d just dust it with icing sugar.
This pudding has a cake-like texture, so you could indeed slice it and serve it like cake, then use a spoon to drizzle each slice with the chocolate sauce.
However, the tradition is to use a spoon for Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding. Scoop generous portions onto each plate, ensuring that you get a combination of cake and sauce in every spoonful. It may not look as neat as slicing, but that’s the way it’s meant to be. Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding is crafted using cocoa powder, without any actual chocolate. I’m sure there are richer variations with the addition of chocolate chips, but the classic version is so darn delicious that there’s no need to stray!
I like to serve the pudding with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of cream, and perhaps some fresh strawberries or other fruits to add a burst of color and contrast.
It’s easy enough for a casual weeknight dessert and a surefire hit for guests. I am absolutely head over heels in love with Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding!
