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This Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding has to be one of the ultimate comfort puddings on a cold winters day, served with lashings of hot custard and so simple to be made gluten free and vegan too. One of the most popular recipes on my website, it’s not hard to see why.
What is a self saucing pudding?
For those unfamiliar with self saucing puddings, have faith with the method, it seems completely daft to make a sponge batter and then drown it in a runny chocolate liquid but believe me, this works. The chemistry of baking means the sauce sinks and thickens at the bottom and a super soft moist sponge appears on top by magic. The best bit of all…that first dip into the pudding to see the hidden treasure beneath, it never fails to make me smile. Incidentally, this is why this pudding can also be known as the Magic Pudding or Magic Sauce Pudding.
I’ve loved making this magic self saucing recipe again more recently, I had a hankering for chocolate and this pudding hits the spot, my two offspring aren’t actually too keen on this flavour…the chocolate is too ‘dark’ apparently but who is complaining, not I, more for me. Joking aside this keeps really well under foil in the fridge and I’ve treated myself three evenings in a row as long as my husband doesn’t fancy some too!
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How does a self saucing pudding work?
Well that my dear reader is the magical bit, and I’ll confess to being a bit bemused by the science but basically, your make a seemingly normal cake batter with the flavour combination of your choice; lemon, chocolate, coffee (ooh coffee, think I’ll give that a go soon). Then you add the batter to your pudding dish. The next thing seems a bit odd but you make a sweet runny liquid with the same flavour notes and then drown you cake or pudding batter – bonkers!
The magic happens when you bake this pudding, as the raising agents start to work and the batter starts to rise, the liquid oozes and weaves its way through the emerging pudding sponge until they’ve change position, the liquid is now on the bottom and the sponge is on the top.
But that’s not it! Oh no, as the two elements passed each other, the liquid takes with it some of the pudding batter and bubbles away until the liquid becomes a thick gooey sauce. If that’s not a magically perfect pudding, then I don’t know what is.
How do you make a vegan self saucing pudding?
This self saucing pudding can be made vegan or egg free simply by swapping the egg for a flaxseed egg. For those wishing to use the flax seed method I’ve added a note here as well as in the recipe to understand how to make a vegan egg for baking. The pudding you see pictured is the vegan version just to prove it does work!
How to make a flax egg
to make 1 flax egg you need the following ingredients:
– 1tbsp ground flax seed
– 3tbsp water
– 1tsp psyllium husk (optional but does add elasticity to baking)
Simply add all ingredients to a glass and stir before measuring out the other recipe ingredients, by the time you come to use your ‘egg’ mixture it will have thickened to a frog-spawn consistency (thicker if you added psyllium husk)
Then just add to your baking as you would an egg. For 2 eggs double the ingredients but note that recipes that require more than two eggs may fail due to lack of support in the structure.
Can I make this Magic Saucing Pudding with egg?
Absolutely, in the recipe I have added the option to use a large egg instead of the flax seed version, I have also pointed out that normal milk can be used too.
Other delicious gluten free pudding ideas for the cold months
I’d be barmy not to mention my other self saucing pudding on this website; Gluten Free Self Saucing Lemon Pudding is a winner both in the cold months for comfort food and a surprisingly light option for pudding in the spring/summer months. There’s also my Chocolate Goo Puddings, Divine Gluten Free Salted Chocolate Tart and I happen to love these Rich Dark Chocolate Mousse Puddings by the wonderful Gluten Free Alchemist. Finally, how about this breathtaking Vegan Apple Meringue made by Fab Food 4 All – I am going to be making this next weekend.
Gluten Free Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding (Magic Pudding) Recipe
If you make it and like the recipe I would be eternally grateful if you popped back and commented leaving a star rating as this will tell search engines that this recipe is worth checking out and others will get to find it in searches.
Gluten Free Self Saucing Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
- 60 g butter or butter alternative (I use Flora plant butter) I use Pure or Vitalite
- 135 g caster sugar
- 1 large egg(s) or 1tbsp flax, 3 tbsp water
- 150 g gluten free self raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 200 ml dairy free milk I use soya for it’s creamy taste
For the liquid
- 250 ml water
- 200 g soft light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl cream the butter (or dairy free spread) and caster sugar until light.
- Add beaten egg (or flax egg) and milk (or milk alternative) combine
- Sift in flour, baking powder and cocoa
- TOP TIP: I always sift from a greater height, this allows air particles to attach to the flour grains, thus encouraging a more impressive rise in the bake.
- Fold in dry sifted ingredients quickly
- Pour into an oven proof dish (big enough to hold a litre of water) and put to one side.
- to make the sauce mix a little of the water with the cocoa to make a paste to reduce chance of lumps
- Add the rest of the water and sugar and pour over the cake mixture.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C | 160°C fan | 350°F | Gas 4 for 30-35mins
- Serve with custard and revel in your genius!
Nutrition
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life’s a drama, gluten free doesn’t have to be….
Unfreaking believable!!!!! Bravo
Haha, this has made me chuckle I think all my comments should be this emotionally powerful from now xxx
Lovely gooey pud and not a lot of work either. Members of the family who are coeliac as well as the ‘normal’ ones loved it, so it was perfect! I’d recommend it
It was such a yummy family treat on a cold, rainy winters night. Super gooey and rich. Total comfort & decadence rolled into one! We topped ours with whipped cream and my daughter added strawberries.
I loved reading this Janie, thank you for taking the time to comment x
Yum! I love these classic puddings smothered in lots of cream! I’ve a few gluten intolerant friends so will make sure I pass this recipe along to them as well. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare this week. Michelle
I love the magic of these puddings. But mostly I just want to dig right into your photo!
Another fab dessert lovely lady! I’ve never tried an egg free version of these I really should they look amazing!
I looove self saucing puddings, they are so easy to make and always so delicious!
I see. Thank you. I will give it a go very soon. Not sure which one to try first your self saucing chocolate pudding and your chocolate lava cake 😂
Any reason you use water instead of cream or milk in your chocolate sauce?
It would be delicious with cream or milk instead of water, but I cannot tolerate dairy so it’s purely for selfish reasons Martin, if I could, I’d go for the cream option….hope you love it x
Oh wow, this looks dreamy!
I have NEVER made a self-saucing pudding. Why? I have no idea….. Yours is making me positively drool…… I want to dive right in (no snorkel!) and devour xxxxxxx #G2BGF
Haha, I’d love to see you diving into my chocolate pudding with a snorkel…maybe we’ll save that idea for Comic Relief!
I’m a chocolate cake for breakfast kinda gal, so this is a double thumbs up from me! #BlogCrush
Not I like cake but chocolate cake for breakfast, I bow to your superiority ;-) xxx
Goodness me I have to make this!!! I adore self saucing pudding. My granny used to make it for me every time we visited. She called it saucy pud and I LOVED it! I have no idea why I don’t have the recipe on my blog but now you have it so I don’t have to!!!
It has that feel about it doesn’t it, good old fashioned Grannies pudding, glad it made you reminisce xxx
You absolute genius! It looks absolutely delicious, and I love a chocolate pudding with a little sauce: yumminess! Don’t apologise for mentioning winter: it still feels like the middle of winter round here. Heating is on today! Thanks for joining in with #FreeFromFridays.
I have officially fallen out with British weather this week – choc pudding is all I have left for my sanity!!
Oh I love chocolate pudding yummy with cream
Thank you for linking to #Thatfridaylinky please come back next week
Thank you for having me Nige, a lovely linky still working my way through all those linked xx
You had me at chocolate
Haha, you’re easy ;-) well they do say you can get to a mans heart through his tummy…personally I did my biology GCSE and that’s not what the illustrations showed!
Oh yummy! I need you to make me this too ;-)
Haha, okay it’s a deal xx
Oh wow – this is proper indulgent comfort food at it’s finest. I just want to lick my screen right now!! (Is that very wrong??) Eb x
You always makes me giggle with you comments Eb but this is rip roaring laughter material !!!
This look amazing! I’d serve it with ridiculous amounts of double cream; my idea of heaven!x
Ooh yes, I agree whole heartedly with you there xx