Self-saucing sour cream chocolate pudding

I have a soft spot (pun most definitely not intended) for gooey, saucy self-saucing puddings. My mum taught me to make the most amazing lemon self-saucing pudding when I was a kid and I've been hooked on these ever since. They're dead easy to make, super fast and totally delicious. For those with minimal cooking skills or time, the self-saucing pudding is your friend: they look way harder than they actually are. And although I have yet to try making individual ones, I bet they would be even more impressive!

This chocolate version is what you must make when you're in the mood for something chocolatey and warm and gooey. I like it because, if you're absolutely desperate for a chocolate treat, and all you've got in the house is cocoa, you can still make this (by omitting the chocolate chunks) and it's still delicious!

For a 9x12 pan, you'll need:

• 125g plain flour (approximately 1 + 1/4 cups)
• pinch of salt
• 120g fine sugar (approximately 3/4 cups, less 1 tablespoon)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 60ml cocoa (1/4 cup)
• 125 ml milk (1/2 cup)
• 125 ml sour cream (1/2 cup)
• 85g melted butter (approximately 1/3 cup)
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 100 gm good dark chocolate broken into small chunks (the size of two regular chocolate bars)

• 185g sugar (approximately 1 cup)
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 250 ml very hot water (1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix all ingredients (except the last 5) together in a mixing bowl. Quickly pour the batter into the bottom of an ungreased 9x12 inch baking pan, using the back of a large spoon or spatula to even the layer out in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle chocolate chunks over the top of the batter. Thoroughly mix the last 4 ingredients and gently pour over the top of the batter in the pan.

Pop the pan into the middle of the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cake rises and cracks on top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

If you're making this in individual pans, the cooking time will be shorter.

I thought a nice variation on this recipe would be to substitute strong coffee for a portion of the hot water used in the sauce.

Cakes and I devoured half a pan while watching DVD's the other night. Cakes did me the huge favour of eating all the leftover cake while I was at work yesterday so I didn't have that same dilemma tonight. He's forever doing thoughtful things like that for me. I guess that's why I married him.

As a total aside, I sometimes use Sitemeter to check out where people come to my blog from. A large number arrive as a result of a google search. Now, most of the time, the thing they are searching for is pretty self explanatory. I mean, "raspberry panacotta recipe" pretty much sums up a googler's motivation. I am however at a loss for these that I found tonight:

"lenny rice cheese"

"raw chicken buttermilk stink bomb"

"Ukrainian cabbage fart"

Not only do I have no idea what these people were looking for (I hope they found it!) but I seriously wonder how they got to my blog...

Comments

[SweetKali]

i'd love the recipe for the self saucing lemon pudding! P.S. got here throu Kinja.

[mireille]

yes, please! Please share the lemon one?! My mother made a wonderful one but I don't have the receipe for it -- I think she had the recipe box buried with her. *oh, a slight exaggeration, but she wasn't as generous as you are with recipes* xoxo

[sharon]

Where can I find out how to convert your recipe amts. to cups etc.?

[Lyn]

Mireille: mum said she'd email it to me. When she does, I'll post it!

Sharon: Try the online conversion link to the left. I'll try to amend the post this week to include cups measurements.

[Ruth]

All I can say is....OH...MY...G-D

and...thanks for sharing

[Linda]

Sounds like my little brother,especially the farts.He has a sick,twisted sense of humor.Could,for all that,be anyone's little brother.In American English,please forgive us,this is called Chocolate Pudding Cake.It used to be available as a boxed cake mix.There was no forgiveable reason for discontinuing it.Many people got together and sent, by snail mail,the recipes around the world.It is delicious,and always worth the trouble,but DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS WHILE DIETING.

[Lyn]

Linda,

You can still get it here in a box. You wwant me to send you some? You can get caramel and apple spice too.

[Sherri]

This is my fav. desert of all time. I always muck around with directions and have found that espresso instead of the water is a great sub.

[Pam]

I saw this recipe and had to make it right away. Very nice results. Gooeyness varied across ramekins/cake pan, but I didn't photograph the maximum unctuousness: photo

[Lyn]

Gah. I meant "Try the "online conversion" link on the right!" Not the "left".

amounts are converted now!

[Rosie]

A great dessert for all us chocoholics!!

[Amanda]

Sensational recipe. I made it in individual cups and it turned out beautifully. Thanks for sharing.

[Pam]

I'm about to make a similar thing again tonight, this time from the Essential Vegetarian Cookbook, an Aussie thing. But there's no sour cream or vanilla in this one! I'd have made yours, but Internet access has been intermittent and my ingredients are all measured...eek.

[Diedre Etherington]

I loved your blog. I as well found you on google. LOL! I was looking for self sauceing pudding cake. My sister married a man from AU and now I can't live with out tim tams, self sauceing pudding cake, meat pies... and all other things Australian. So.... Me searching online came across your recipie. Thanks for having it on line and I did find what I was looking for.