Made with store cupboard ingredients, this simple hot chocolate pudding dessert will satisfy any sweet tooth.
“This quick and utterly delicious chocolate pud, which I’ve been making for years to delight my family, occupies a space somewhere between a brownie, a soufflé and a cake.
“I think you’ll agree that’s not a bad place to be,” says celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
This recipe is easy to whip up using regular ingredients in your kitchen, and is baked until it is set on the outside but still gooey in the middle.
Hugh suggests serving the hot chocolate pudding with some fruit to cut the richness or a trickle of cream if you prefer.
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Hot chocolate pudding
Serves 4
Ingredients
- 100g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
- 100g butter, cut into pieces, plus extra to grease the dish
- 3 medium eggs
- 50g soft light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 75g ground almonds
- A pinch of salt
To serve:
- Raspberries or other berries, or plum compote
- Yoghurt or cream (optional)
Method
- Put the chocolate and butter into a saucepan and melt gently over a very low heat, watching all the time and stirring often so that the chocolate doesn’t get too hot. Set aside to cool a little. Preheat the oven to 190C/170 Fan/374F/Gas 5 and butter a small oven dish.
- In a large bowl whisk the eggs, brown sugar and vanilla extract together until pale, thick and mousse-like. Using a stand mixer or hand-held electric whisk on full speed, this should only take a few minutes, but whisking by hand with a rotary or balloon whisk will take a lot longer! The mix should be significantly paler, thicker and increased in volume.
- Turn the mixer down to a low speed and, with the motor running, slowly pour in the tepid melted chocolate and butter mixture (or whisk it gently by hand). Use a rubber spatula to scrape the last drops of chocolate into the mix, and then to fold the mixture fully together.
- Combine the ground almonds and salt. Add to the chocolate mixture and fold in carefully, using the spatula.
- Turn the mixture into the prepared oven dish and shake the dish a little to spread it out. Bake in the oven for
12-15 minutes until the pudding is set on top and firm at the edges, but still wobbly and gooey in the middle. - Serve straight away, with fresh raspberries or plum compote, and a spoonful of yoghurt or a trickle of cream if you like.
River Cottage Good Comfort by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is published by Bloomsbury, priced £27. Photography by Simon Wheeler. Available now.
