Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding

There is something about winter that makes you feel the need to spoil yourself. Whether that means another long hot bath with a current book, or sneaking an extra ten minutes doona-time in the morning, it is definitely how I sustain myself through the chilly season. And then there is, of course, chocolate....

Somehow chocolate to me is much more a winter food than a summer one. Lovely crisp bites of Lindt in winter vs. warm and slightly melted in summer? No competition. Summer is for icy desserts and fruit; winter for warm puddings. Even better, warm molten chocolate puddings. This one is from Bill Granger's "Bill's Food", and, like most of his recipes, it is dead easy, and very good.

Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding For 4

adapted from "Bill's Food" by Bill Granger

1 cup plain flour

a pinch of salt

1/2 cup caster sugar

3 tsps baking powder

4 tbls cocoa powder

1 cup milk

85g unsalted butter, melted

2 eggs lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

topping

1 cup soft brown sugar

2 tbls cocoa powder

1 cup boiling water

thickened cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 180c, and butter four pudding moulds (or coffee cups or mugs if you don't have moulds). Sift flour, salt, sugar, baking powder and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add the milk, butter, egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Pour into the moulds.

To make the topping, stir the brown sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl to combine then sprinkle it over the pudding batter, creating quite a thick crust. Do not worry that it is too thick, this will melt down to become the sauce. Pour boiling water carefully and evenly over puddings, then bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve with thick cream.