Self-saucing chocolate pudding recipe

This rich, oven-baked sponge dessert is a self-saucing chocolate pudding - and it's a delightful treat. 

To make it, you simply make up a cake batter and pour sauce over the top if it. As it baked in the over, a transformation happens and by the time you take it out, you have a chocolate sponge hiding a magic layer of sauce underneath. Serve it directly on the table and let people help themselves. Supply some extra thick double cream for people to add on the side or, if you prefer, custard to pour over. 

Ingredients

• 1 tsp sunflower oil
• 410g can prunes in natural juices, drained and pitted
• 6tbsp granulated sweetener- stevia based
• 2 medium free range eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• 160g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 20g cocoa
• 75ml semi skimmed milk

For the sauce:

• 150g light muscovado sugar
• 20g cocoa, sifted

Method

1. Heat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Rub a 1.5 litre ovenproof dish with the oil. Make the sauce.
2. Put prunes in a food processor or use a stick blender to whizz to a smooth purée. Put sugar and cocoa in a pan with 250ml water, bring to the boil and simmer for 3 mins.
3. Add remaining cake ingredients and mix well until combined. Spoon into the dish. Pour the sauce over the cake batter - don’t worry, magic happens in the oven and the sauce will sink to the bottom. Bake for 25-30 mins until the cake fells slightly springy to the touch. Remove from oven and leave for 10 mins for the sauce to thicken.

Top tip for making self-saucing chocolate pudding

Before serving leave the pud to sit for about 10 mins so the sauce can pool and thicken.

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