Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding is a classic dessert that everyone should know! One batter magically transforms into a moist chocolate cake with a beautiful chocolate sauce. Â Quick enough for a midweek treat, and a crowd pleaser for dinner parties.
I started the week off with Cottage Pie, wedged in a Stovetop Mac and Cheese on Wednesday and am finishing off the week with this Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding.
It seems that this week was Comfort Food Week here on RecipeTin Eats and I missed the memo. My own memo.😂
When I was younger, I was so fascinated with self saucing puddings. I always thought they were magical. One batter transforming into a cake that looks so innocent when it comes out of the oven, then when you break into it – boom! Eyes light up at the sight of all that chocolate sauce!!!
I should qualify that statement actually, it’s a little more than one batter. But not much more! All it takes is sprinkling sugar + cocoa on top of the batter and pouring over hot water. This mixture then sinks to the base of the dish as it bakes, passing through the cake making it sooooo moist (I love this thought!), and it reduces down to become a sauce.
You see in the photo above how I am pouring the hot water over the back of a spoon? The purpose of this is to soften the fall of water onto the sugar topping, to try to keep the surface as even as possible so the surface of the pudding is as even as possible when it comes out of the oven.
I’m not an expert at this part. Also, my recipe uses a slightly higher water to sugar ratio than most classic recipes because I like to have a sauce that is actually a bit like sauce, rather than a thick sludge. Mind you, sludge still tastes fabulous! It’s just a matter of preference.
So because I use slightly more water, the top of my pudding is not as perfectly smooth. Less water = smoother surface = less sauce. 🙂
See? Here’s my sauce. It’s pourable. But thick, not watery. You can actually scrape some off the bottom of the baking dish and pour it over.
I’ve never been embarrassed by the nubbly top of my puddings but if I was, I’d just dust it with icing sugar.
The pudding really is cake-like so you could in fact slice it and serve it like cake, then use a spoon to drizzle each slice with the chocolate sauce.
But tradition is to use a spoon to serve Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding. Scoop out big dollops of it so you get cake and sauce in each spoonful. It doesn’t look as neat as slicing, but that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding is just made with cocoa powder, no chocolate. I’m sure there are richer versions around with the addition of chocolate chips. But the traditional way is so darn good, I have no urge to stray!
I like to serve pudding with ice cream or cream, and usually some fresh strawberries or other fruit, just to break it up and add a pop of colour.
Easy enough for midweek. And a crowd pleaser for company. I am totally and utterly in love with Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding! – Nagi x
More cosy warm desserts for cold winter nights!
Apple Crumble – personal favourite!
Sticky Date Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Recipe video! And don’t worry, though you’ll see Dozer plodding over for a taste test, he didn’t get any. No chocolate for dogs!
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Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding
Ingredients
Topping
- 1 cup (175g) brown sugar , loosely packed (Note 1)
- 1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder , unsweetened (Note 2)
- 1 1/4 cups (315ml) boiling water
Batter
- 1 cup (150g) plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup (70g) white sugar , preferably caster/super fine but ordinary ok
- 1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder , unsweetened (Note 2)
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup (125ml) milk
- 50 g / 4 1/2 tbsp butter , melted
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 170C/335F (standard) / 150C/305F (fan forced / convection).
- Grease a 5 - 6 cup baking dish with butter. (Note 3)
- Topping: Whisk brown sugar and cocoa in a bowl, set aside.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, caster sugar, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl or jug, whisk together the butter and milk, then whisk in the egg and vanilla.
- Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture. Mix until combined - it will be a thick batter.
- Spread into baking dish. Sprinkle with sugar / cocoa mixture. Shake gently to spread out thinly.
- Carefully pour the hot water over the back of a dessert spoon all over the top of the pudding - see photo in post or video below recipe. (Note 4)
- Transfer to oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until the top of the cake springs back when poked lightly. The top will be a bit crusty, like the top of brownies.
- Remove from oven, stand for just a few minutes (no more!), then serve immediately. (Note 5)
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
He hates floor-mopping day even more than I do because I make him wear socks while I enjoy the feeling of clean floors for a few hours….
This was so delicious and was really saucy unlike other recipes I’ve used which were super dry and has a bland flavour
Accidentally mixed up a couple steps due to baking bread & cooking a roast dinner at the same time 🙂 still turned out absolutely wonderfully! Lots of yum sauce, thankyou!
Hi Nagi, love everything that you do!! I was wondering if there was any way of prepping/making this partly the night before at all and then putting it in the oven the next day for a birthday dinner? Would love to know, as we have been requested to make this but its for a dinner on a week night, right after work! Thanks!
Once you’ve mixed the batter you’ve activated the raising agent. This one is best made fresh sorry!
I have made it twice and forgot to comment. Yes I only use this recipe as I like it not overly sweet and not so much butter compare to other recipes. This is just right and will always use this recipe for choc self sauce pudding Thanks Nagi.
AMAZING
So good! The kids and I loved it. We added in chopped up marshmallows! Delicious
I LOVE this idea Karen!! N x
I love this idea! Throw in some crushed graham crackers and you have a S’mores variation. I’m gonna try this.
Can this be microwaved?
I honestly haven’t tried Tarsh. Chocolate microwave mug puddings need to go on my list though!! N x
Nagi,
Have you tried making this in individual ramekins? Think it might work!?
I made this and the butterscotch pudding to test my new oven. ( any excuse) I don’t seem to get as much choc sauce but that’s an excuse for more icecream 🙂 Thx for sharing these tasty delights with us.
Sooooo good and sooo easy. Thanks Nagi. It’s a hit with my family!
This was fantastic. It was easy to make, and my family loved it; I will definitely add it to my dessert rotation. You can’t go wrong with a recipe by Nagi!
I forgot to give it 5 stars!
Hi Nagi, my husband and I love this recipe and have made it repeatedly. But – when we make it there is a grainy texture we cant get rid of. We are using caster sugar and live in Australia sot it should be matching to your ingredients… please help (but its so good we will make it even if we dont solve this lol) thanks!!
Hi Kirsty, sorry you’re having issues, is the texture in the pudding or more in the sauce? N x
Hi! Can I make the batter ahead and bake it a few hours later? Obviously only pouring over the water right before I bake it?
Nagi, your site is my go to for recipes now as they are always perfect! Hence my disappointment when this turned out much less saucy than the chocolate self-saucing puddings I used to make.
Then I realised I’d poured in 1/4 cup of water and forgotten the other whole cup!
I should never have doubted you 😉
It was delicious despite my mistake, and I’ll make sure I get it right next time.
Absolutely delicious! My family loved it.