25 Oct 2015

coffee-choc self-saucing pudding


Despite recent posts, I am not a big drinker. No, really! A nice chilly G&T at the end of a hot day in summer is very refreshing, and a glass or two of bubbles when I stay at my parents, or on a night out if I’m not driving, is de-lovely. But truly, that’s about it.

But, boozy cooking? Ooh yeah. Now we’re talking. My first thought when making a risotto is, white wine or vermouth in this? If it’s Spanish flavoured with smoky paprika, I’ll reach for the sherry. Sherry is such an ‘old ladies drink’ — you’d never catch me sipping it — but a slurp in that risotto or in a pear dessert (or just stewed pears) is divine. And while they aren’t called upon as much, there’s always a bottle of ginger wine and brandy in the cupboard, just in case. I love the depth and mellowness of flavour that a judicious slosh of all these liquors can add to a dish.

Of course, anything chocolate-y, like a brownie, begs for a little booze: maybe some Frangelico or Tia Maria, depending on my mood. It brings out the best in chocolate and makes a fudgy dessert even more decadent. So even though this pudding already has chocolate and coffee in it, I added a good measure of Tia Maria. It seems to deepen and enrich those dark flavours. It makes it a bit more grown up.

Coffee-choc self-saucing pudding
Adapted from a Donna Hay magazine, date unknown. This makes a very modest size dessert — it lasted only three days with me, so for a family, I wouldn’t expect you’d get seconds. After a day or two, the coffee flavour will become even more intense (if it lasts that long).
  • Preheat your oven to 180 and butter a medium sized baking dish.
  • In a small measuring jug or bowl, melt 35 gms butter. Then add ½ cup milk, 1 egg, 1 tspn vanilla and 1/3 cup Tia Maria. Mix well.
  • In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup plain flour, 1 ½ tspn baking powder, 1 tbspn instant coffee, 1 tbspn cocoa, ¼ cup almond meal and ¼ cup brown sugar.
  • To these dry ingredients add the liquid, and stir to combine. Pour into your baking dish.
  • In a small saucepan, heat ½ cup brown sugar, 1 ½ tbspns cocoa, 1 cup water and a slosh of Tia Maria (probably about 1 tbspn). Stir and gently bring to the boil, then remove from heat.
  • Pour gently over the back of a large spoon onto your pudding (does that make sense?).
  • Bake for about 35 minutes until firm but with still a bit of give; if you insert a knife you should see two even layers: a jelly-thick sauce layer on the bottom and the cake layer on top.
  • Serve warm with a dusting of snowy icing sugar, and a blob of melting ice cream or cream. It’s also surprisingly good fridge-cold.



16 comments:

  1. Yum! An old version of this is one of my all time favourites! Chocolate self saucing pudding is probably my strongest food memory from my childhood. Thank you for reminding me about this comforting, delicious dessert. Have a lovely week x

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    1. oh how lovely! golden syrup dumplings are my favourite and strongest childhood pudding - and a very good adult one too :-) thank you jane - you too.

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  2. Oh my, that looks absolutely delicious. And I love the idea of adding a little Tia Maria. I shall give it a go. CJ xx

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    1. every chocolate pudd is better with a slurp of tia maria, CJ. I hope you enjoy it!

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  3. Nothing quite as nice as a chocolate self saucing pudding... I wouldn't be able to add the coffee.. stayed awake most of last night because I ate a square of chocolate too late in the day... imagine if I teamed it with coffee!

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    1. i'm lucky that coffee in puddings like this doesn't seem to effect me - even though I do not drink the stuff at all!
      I will just have to have your share then, lizzy ;-)

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  4. Dear God, I need this in my life, YUM. A bit of boozy cooking is always a good thing. PS: I'm glad you don't drink cooking sherry or we'd have to do an intervention lol :)

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    1. LOL what a thought! i'll let you know if I need that help - then again,who would ever admit to that?!
      start baking and sloshing now, jem xx

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  5. I love chocolate self saucing pudding and it's one of those standby puds when I know that everything should be in the store cupboard. Your method is quite different from my normal recipe so it will be interesting to see if it turns out similar.

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    1. I had never thought of this as a store-cupboard standby - that means I could make this at the drop of a hat! anne, that's a dangerous thought.
      I hope it works for you.

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  6. Oh that sounds awesome. I made a self saucing passionfruit pudding the other day - actually made little individiual ones.

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    1. oh, now they sound awesome, AA! a summer version with the tropical tastes of passionfruit ...yum!

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  7. A wee drop of Tia Maria sounds like the perfect addition to a good chocolate pudding. And as for your sherry and pears combination... why has no one told me about that before?

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    1. hello GD! you may be being too kind with the words 'wee drop' ... but you must try the sherry and pears combo - especially the rougher beurre boscs, it is the most divine grown up way to stew pears . you can thank me later ;-)

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  8. Yum, what a delicious sounding pudding, I'll definitely be adding your recipe to my 'must try' list...

    I love a bit of booze in my cooking too!

    Thanks for sharing your recipe.

    Jodie xx

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    1. hello Jodie, and welcome to Dig In, I believe! I hope you enjoy it if you do try it. lovely to meet you.

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