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Recipe  •  3 July 2026

 

Single serve self-saucing pudding

Self-saucing pudding is exactly what I want when I'm suggesting 'a little something sweet.

It's perfect for a late-night craving and can be ready in about 30 minutes, plus it feels like a little magic is happening with the whole 'self-saucing' aspect. I never believe it will work and then it just does.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 25-30 minutes

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • 30g unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons caster sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 40 g plain flour
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ cup (60ml) milk

Sauce

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 100ml hot water (or strong coffee for a deeper flavour)

 

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a 175ml ramekin with a little butter or oil.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, caster sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until fully combined. Beat in the egg until the mixture is smooth. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and a pinch of salt into the bowl, then fold gently into the batter. Add the milk and stir until the batter is smooth and well combined.
  3. Spoon the mixture into the prepared ramekin and smooth the surface. Stand the ramekin on a baking tray.
  4. To make the sauce, mix the brown sugar and cocoa powder together. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter in the ramekin. Carefully pour the hot water (or coffee) over the top. Do not stir - this is what will create the self-saucing effect as the pudding bakes.
  5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the top is set and slightly cracked, but the centre remains soft. The sauce will form at the bottom, and the top will be cakey.
  6. Let the pudding cool for a few minutes before serving. You can top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a dusting of icing sugar for extra indulgence.

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