Chocolate Steamed Pudding Recipe

Today we have another classic British recipe. This time it's for a traditional steamed chocolate pudding. In essence a chocolate sponge batter (made with real chocolate) that's steamed over boiling water to cook and which is served with custard.

Easy to make, but the results are excellent every time. It may be a traditional pudding, but it remains a crowd pleaser even today.

Chocolate Steamed Pudding

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

50g (1 3/4 oz) unsweetened plain cooking chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
110g (4 oz) plain flour
110g (4 oz) caster sugar
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
125ml (1/2 cup) skimmed milk
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp freshly-grated nutmeg
75g (2 3/4 oz) hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
butter, for greasing

Method:

Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl, either in a microwave or over a pan of just simmering water.

In a food processor, combine the flour, caster sugar, cocoa powder, milk, egg, baking powder and nutmeg. Blend for 1 minute at low speed then add the melted chocolate and blend for 1 minute at high speed. Now fold in the hazelnuts.

Lightly grease a 1.2l (5 cup) pudding basin with butter. Spoon in the batter then cover with a lid or a pleated double sheet of kitchen foil and tie securely with string.

Set the basin on a rack set in the base of a saucepan. Pour the boiling water into the pan to come 3/4 of the way up the sides of the basin. Place over medium heat, cover with a lid and cook for about 90 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the pudding emerges cleanly.

Remove the pudding from the pan and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen then invert onto a serving dish.

Serve accompanied by vanilla custard.