If you’re a chocolate lover seeking the ultimate warm, gooey, and absolutely irresistible comfort dessert, look no further than The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding. This South African twist on classic malva pudding is rich with cocoa flavor and finished with a luscious chocolate sauce that soaks into every bite. It’s the kind of sweet treat that brings friends and family together around the table, everyone vying for another spoonful. Prepare to fall in love!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The magic of The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding comes from a handful of everyday ingredients, each playing its own special role. Together, they create a tender, chocolatey sponge with a velvety sauce to pour over the top — dessert perfection!
- All-purpose flour: Forms the tender structure of the pudding and keeps it satisfyingly soft.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens both the sponge and the sauce, bringing out the chocolatey richness.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: Gives deep, dark chocolate flavor — use a good quality for best results!
- Baking soda: Helps the pudding puff up and stay light rather than dense.
- Salt: Just a pinch subtly balances the sweetness and amplifies the chocolate notes.
- Large egg: Binds everything together and contributes to the moist, fluffy texture.
- Apricot jam: The secret ingredient — it adds a gentle fruitiness and iconic malva stickiness.
- Vanilla extract: For warmth, sweetness, and aromatic depth.
- Vinegar (white or apple cider): Reacts with baking soda for the lightest crumb and a little tang.
- Milk: Moistens the batter and makes every bite soft and luscious.
- Melted butter: For richness and that satisfying “homemade” taste.
- Heavy cream (for sauce): The key to a silky, decadent chocolate sauce.
- Milk (for sauce): Blends with the cream for just the right pourable consistency.
- Granulated sugar (for sauce): Sweetens the sauce for the perfect finish.
- Unsalted butter (for sauce): Adds gloss, flavor, and a sumptuous mouthfeel.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder (for sauce): Doubles down on chocolatey goodness in the sauce.
- Vanilla extract (for sauce): Brings a fragrant, finishing touch to the chocolate sauce.
How to Make The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding
Step 1: Prepare Your Dish and Preheat the Oven
Get started by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) — a key move to ensure even baking. Take a 9-inch square or round baking dish and grease it lightly. This extra bit of care prevents sticking and guarantees that your pudding will slide out beautifully after all that molten sauce is poured on.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. This evenly disperses all the leavening and chocolate, making sure there are no clumps and every bite is perfectly balanced. A quick whisk means a fluffy and uniform pudding later on!
Step 3: Create the Wet Mixture
In a large separate bowl, beat the egg until light. Stir in the apricot jam, vanilla extract, vinegar, milk, and melted butter. The jam is traditional in malva pudding, infusing subtle fruity notes, and the vinegar works its magic alongside baking soda for the lightest, most tender crumb.
Step 4: Combine and Pour
Add the dry ingredients into your wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined — don’t overmix! The batter will be thick and glossy, and that’s exactly what you want. Pour it into your prepared baking dish and smooth it out so it bakes evenly.
Step 5: Bake the Pudding
Slide the dish into your hot oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding should rise beautifully and spring back gently when pressed, with the top just firm to the touch. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.
Step 6: Prepare the Chocolate Sauce
While the sponge bakes, make the chocolate sauce. In a small saucepan, combine cream, milk, sugar, butter, and cocoa powder over medium heat. Stir until everything melts together into a glossy, smooth sauce. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla for that inviting aroma.
Step 7: Soak with Chocolate Sauce
Once the pudding emerges hot from the oven, immediately poke holes all over the surface with a skewer or fork. This lets the sauce really permeate every bit of cake. Slowly pour the warm chocolate sauce all over, letting it soak in and magically transform your pudding into the ultimate gooey indulgence. Let it sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes so it soaks up every drop — then it’s ready to serve!
How to Serve The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding
Garnishes
Finish The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding with a dusting of powdered sugar, a few fresh berries, or even a curl of chocolate shavings for a gorgeous presentation. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a generous spoonful of custard melts into the warm pudding, turning each serving into a dreamy, indulgent experience.
Side Dishes
This pudding is a showstopper on its own, but it pairs beautifully with cold vanilla ice cream, caramelized bananas, or a tart berry compote. These accompaniments add contrast and balance to the rich chocolate flavors, making every bite even more delightful.
Creative Ways to Present
Try baking The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding in individual ramekins for cute, single-serve portions, or jazz it up in a trifle dish with layers of pudding, whipped cream, and fruit. For a dinner party, serve it family-style straight from the baking dish and let everyone dig in together for that cozy, homey feeling.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Cover any leftover pudding tightly with plastic wrap or transfer it to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator, where it will keep for up to three days without losing that signature fudgy texture — just make sure to keep the sauce with it so it stays moist.
Freezing
If you want to enjoy The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding later, wrap the completely cooled pudding well and freeze for up to one month. Ideally, keep the sauce separate and add a fresh batch after reheating, but you can freeze them together if needed.
Reheating
To reheat, simply warm individual servings or the whole dish in the microwave until heated through, or cover with foil and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 15–20 minutes. Pour a little extra cream or sauce on top before reheating if the pudding seems dry, and it’ll be good as new.
FAQs
Can I make The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding ahead of time?
Absolutely! Bake the pudding and prepare the sauce as instructed, then store them separately or together in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, gently reheat and pour over a little extra sauce to restore that just-baked magic.
Is there a substitute for apricot jam?
If you don’t have apricot jam on hand, peach or orange marmalade works well and still gives that subtle sweetness and stickiness without overpowering the chocolate flavor.
How do I know when the pudding is cooked through?
The pudding should spring back in the center when gently pressed, and a toothpick inserted should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs (not raw batter). Keep an eye on it in the last five minutes to avoid overbaking!
Can I use gluten-free flour for this recipe?
Yes, you can swap in a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend, as the pudding’s generous sauce helps keep the texture moist and tender. Double-check that your baking soda is gluten-free, too, just in case.
What’s the best way to keep The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding moist?
The real secret is not to skip pouring that warm chocolate sauce over the hot pudding. Letting it soak in for 10–15 minutes ensures the entire dessert stays soft, decadent, and wonderfully luscious.
Final Thoughts
If you’re ready for a rich, crowd-pleasing dessert that will win hearts instantly, The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding deserves a spot in your kitchen. One bite, and you’ll see why it’s a beloved treasure — the perfect way to finish any meal on a warm, chocolatey note. Give it a go, and let your friends and family in on this South African delight!
Print
The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding Recipe
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Indulge in the rich and decadent flavors of this classic South African dessert with a chocolate twist. The Best Chocolate Malva Pudding is a moist and spongy pudding drenched in a warm chocolate sauce, perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth cravings.
Ingredients
Pudding:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon apricot jam
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (white or apple cider)
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
For the Chocolate Sauce:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9-inch square or round baking dish.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Prepare Wet Mixture: In a separate large bowl, beat the egg, then add apricot jam, vanilla extract, vinegar, milk, and melted butter; mix until smooth.
- Combine Ingredients: Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Pour the batter into the baking dish and smooth the top.
- Bake: Bake for 30–35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Make Chocolate Sauce: In a saucepan, combine cream, milk, sugar, butter, and cocoa powder. Heat and stir until smooth; remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Finish and Serve: Once the pudding is baked, poke holes on top, then pour the warm chocolate sauce over it. Let sit for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Traditionally served warm with custard or vanilla ice cream.
- For a richer sauce, substitute some of the milk with additional cream.
- Pudding can be made ahead and reheated before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: South African
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 portion
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 36 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
