C is for Chocolate Pudding for The Kids Cook Monday

As far as I am concerned chocolate puddings never go out of style.  Whether they are baked in a large dish in the oven for family sharing or small individual serves in ramekins for a dinner party they are always a welcome sight.  Microwave versions are a great time saver (although the 5 minute chocolate puddings in a cup are a tad dangerous!).  This is our version adapted from this recipe at taste.  I have tried to make it a little healthier by using wholemeal flour, decreasing the sugar in the cake batter and using dark chocolate rather than milk.

Microwave Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding
Download a recipe card here.

Ingredients
3/4 cup milk
75g butter, chopped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 1/4 cup wholemeal self raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
100g dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 3/4 cups boiling water

Method

1. Place milk and butter in a large 8 cup-capacity, microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high (100%) for 1 minute and 30 seconds, stirring halfway through cooking, or until butter has melted.  The dish shouldn't be too warm for your child to touch - but make sure you check first.  Some microwave safe dishes do heat up alot.

Stirring in the vanilla

Adding the sugar and cocoa powder

Mixing in the flour

 2. Stir in vanilla, caster sugar, flour and 2 tablespoons of the cocoa powder.

Sprinkling on the chocolate chips

Spooning over the brown sugar cocoa mix

 3. Sprinkle chocolate over batter. Sprinkle with remaining cocoa powder and brown sugar.

4. Pour boiling water over the back of a large metal spoon to cover batter (this step should only be done by an adult or an older child under adult supervision).

5. Place dish on an upturned microwave-safe plate. Cook, uncovered, on medium (50%) for 10 to 13 minutes or until a skewer inserted into edge of pudding comes out clean. This time really depends on how powerful your microwave is.  Ours took only 91/2 minutes to be ready so keep an eye on the pudding towards the end.  You don't want to overcook it or the pudding will be dry.

6. Set aside for 5 minutes.
7. Serve with low fat ice-cream or low fat custard.