This Australian retro classic is cosy, fun and affordable! A chocolate sponge sits on top of a pool of chocolate custard. You simply make a thick batter, then pour over the custard ingredients... something magic happens in the oven, and the sauce sinks to the bottom! Serve immediately out of the oven to get that satisfying scoop of runny sauce underneath - sure to delight kids, it's a great family friendly dessert. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Please note! This is a LARGE pudding that bubbles while cooking and requires a LARGE baking dish or dutch oven. 26cm diameter is ideal. IF USING A REGULAR SIZE 17CM BAKING DISH PLEASE HALVE QUANTITIES :) and place on a lined oven tray to catch any drips.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease dutch oven or baking dish.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add in the sugar and mix well to break up any lumps.
In a medium sized bowl, whisk the milk and melted butter together. Pour wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. The batter will be thick. Spread into the dutch oven.
To make the sauce; sift the cocoa powder into a bowl, add the sugar and stir with a whisk to combine. Sprinkle evenly over the surface of the batter. Pour the boiling water over the top of the batter, running the water over the back of a spoon to reduce the impact. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the centre is firm.
The top of the pudding will have a dry cracked appearance. Serve immediately as the sauce will begin to be absorbed into the pudding once removed from the oven. Serve with ice cream.
Notes
This is a vegan friendly adaptation of the original Women's Weekly recipe.To make it even more decadent, you could try adding chocolate chips or a 1/2 tbsp of dissolved instant coffee in a splash of water to amplify the intensity of the chocolate flavours.