Steamed chocolate pudding recipe

This delicious steamed chocolate pudding does take time to make but you can prepare it in advance and let it cook whilst you eat your Sunday roast. It is an easy steamed pudding to start with if you don't know how to steam a pudding, but it is an impressive chocolate dessert to serve to guests.

Ingredients

For the pudding:

• 100g (4oz) butter, softened
• 100g (4oz) caster sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 100g (4oz) self-raising flour
• 15ml (1tbsp) cocoa powder
• 100g (4oz) plain chocolate, melted
• 50g (2oz) pecan nuts, chopped
• 15ml (1tbsp) milk 

For the sauce:

• 100g (4oz) plain chocolate, broken into pieces
• 25g (1oz) butter
• 30ml (2tbsp) golden syrup
• A few chopped pecan nuts, to decorate

Method

1. Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until pale and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs a little at a time (add a spoonful of the flour if the mixture begins to curdle). Sift together the flour and cocoa powder and fold into the mixture with the melted chocolate, chopped pecans and milk.
   
2. Butter and line the base of a 900ml (1 1/2pt) pudding basin with a circle of greaseproof paper. Spoon the mixture into the basin and cover with a round of greased and pleated greaseproof paper tied securely with fine string. Cover with pleated foil.
   
3. Steam for 1 1/2 hrs (see tip) until the pudding is risen and firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean.
   
4. For the chocolate sauce, place all the ingredients in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water and leave until melted. Remove from the heat and stir to make a smooth sauce.
   
5. Turn the pudding out on to a plate and pour over some of the chocolate sauce and decorate with chopped pecan nuts. Serve the rest of the sauce separately.