Espresso Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding

  

When the weather turns from balmy, sandal-wearing, Spring-dress-twirling warm, to soggy, winter-knit snuggling, woolly-socks donning nippy, you have a couple of choices. You can either run inside and cry as you watch the rain smack against the windows or you can make an Espresso Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding, then curl up on the sofa with a honking bowlful and watch the whole first season of Justified in one afternoon.

Espresso Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding
adapted from Donna Hay's Seasons
Serves 6

100ml full cream milk
35g unsalted butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
150g cake flour, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
1 shot (30ml) of strong espresso coffee (You want it strong, like Iron Man strong)
30g almond meal
45g light brown sugar
90g light brown sugar, extra
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa, sifted
250ml water
Thick cream, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar and ground almonds until thoroughly mixed.

In a separate bowl whisk the milk, espresso, butter, egg and vanilla together until combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the milk mixture and whisk well to combine. Pour the batter into a 1 litre capacity baking dish.

Put the extra sugar, cocoa and water into a saucepan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, remove it from the heat and pour it over the coffee batter. Bake for 25-30 minutes. The sponge will set on top of a lovely smooth, glossy sauce underneath. Serve with cream.