Sometimes we feel like a sweet something after dinner, but we can’t be bothered doing a full-on bake and the supermarket is not worth the effort at such a late hour. Imagine the joy we felt when I found this self-saucing chocolate pudding, which can be whipped up quickly and cooked just as fast in the microwave!

Chances are, you’ll like the speed at which you can have this dessert so much that it’ll get made with dangerous regularity! But what’s not to love about a decadently saucy dessert?

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup milk
• 75g butter, chopped
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup caster sugar
• 1 1/4 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
• 100g milk chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 3/4 cup boiling water
• Icing sugar, to serve
• Ice cream, to serve

Method

1. Place milk and butter in a 6cm-deep, 8-cup-capacity, microwave-safe dish. Microwave on high (100 per cent) for 1 minute and 30 seconds, stirring halfway through cooking, or until the butter has melted.
2. Stir in vanilla, caster sugar, flour and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder. Level top with a spatula. Press the chocolate into the batter. Sprinkle with remaining cocoa powder and brown sugar. Pour boiling water over the back of a large metal spoon to cover the batter.
3. Place the dish on an upturned microwave-safe plate. Cook, uncovered, on medium (50 per cent) for 10-13 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the edge of the pudding comes out clean.
4. Allow sitting for 1 minute before dusting with icing sugar. Serve with ice cream.