Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ cups all purpose flour, sifted
- 1½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon golden syrup or light corn syrup
- 4 ounces Dove dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, diced, softened
Chef notes
This is not your usual chocolate dessert. This delicious confection is deep, decadent and incredibly moist. The warm ganache really puts it over the top.
Technique tip: The pudding can be made up to one day ahead. Cool, wrap tightly in plastic and keep at room temperature. To rewarm pudding, unwrap and return it to a buttered pudding basin (also called a steam bowl). Cover and steam pudding over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, or until heated through. Transfer basin to a rack and let stand for 5 minutes. Invert pudding onto a plate.
Preparation
For the pudding:
1.Generously brush lid and inside of a nonstick metal 2-quart pudding basin (aka steam bowl) with half of the butter. Line bottom of basin with a disc of parchment paper. Brush paper and basin with remaining butter and refrigerate.
2.In a small saucepan, bring 2/3 cup of water to a simmer. Add cocoa powder and whisk for about 1 minute, or until mixture has thickened slightly. Set aside to cool.
3.Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar and oil to blend. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Add flour to the bowl mixture in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk between each addition. Whisk in cocoa powder mixture.
4.Pour batter into prepared basin and cover with lid. Place a small heatproof saucer in the bottom of a tall pot. Place the basin on the saucer. Pour enough boiling water into the pot to come about halfway up sides of the basin. Bring water to a simmer over high heat, cover pot, and reduce heat to low. Steam pudding, without removing lid, for about 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until it springs back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted into center of the pudding comes out clean. Carefully lift the basin from pot and set it on a wire rack. Remove lid and let pudding cool for 10 minutes.
For the ganache:
In a small saucepan, bring cream and syrup just to a simmer. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk ganache until smooth. Whisk in butter. Set aside. If ganache becomes too thick, gently re-warm over low heat for about 30 seconds, or until it is a pourable consistency.
To serve:
Invert the pudding onto a cake plate. Pour about one-third of ganache over warm pudding. Slice pudding and serve with remaining ganache.
