It’s hearty, warm and delicious. I can’t claim full credit for this recipe, it’s one that I have stolen from Chelsea Winter – and like almost all of her recipes, it is simple yet still a massive crowd-pleaser. At a recent dinner party, everybody kept asking me whether they could have my ‘secret’ recipe; nobody could believe it when I said I’d just pulled it from the recipe book on the shelf over there. I think the key to absolutely nailing this dish is to put it in the oven at the last possible minute, so it comes out piping hot and just oozing with chocolate.

Collect

• 250 g dark chocolate (I always use Whittakers 50%)
• 200 g cubed butter
• 3 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 c caster sugar
• 2 t vanilla
• 3/4 c flour
• 3/4 t baking powder
• 3/4 c brown sugar
• 1/3 c cocoa
• 3/4 c boiling water
• 3/4 c cream, warmed

Create

1. 180°C bake. Grease the dish.
2. Melt the chocolate. Once smooth, add the butter and stir.
3. Place the egg yolks, eggs, sugar and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl and beat for 30 seconds with an electric mixer until thick, creamy and pale.
4. Using a spatula, fold the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture to combine.
5. Sift in the flour and baking powder, and fold again to combine to a smooth batter.
6. Scrape into a baking dish.
7. Put the brown sugar and cocoa into a heatproof bowl, pour in hot water and cream and whisk to combine.
8. Gently pour over the top of the pudding mixture.
9. Bake for 45 minutes.
10. Dust with icing sugar and serve with ice-cream.