There’s nothing quite like the moment you plunge a spoon through a warm sponge and hit that hidden pool of rich, gooey sauce underneath. Self-saucing puddings are one of the great small miracles of home baking – a single batter that somehow separates itself into a soft cake on top and a luscious sauce below, with barely any effort required.

With winter well and truly upon us, there’s no better time to get the oven going. Whether you’re after something you can throw together in ten minutes flat, or you’re keen to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon working up to something a little more special, we’ve got you covered with three self-saucing puddings – easy, medium and a proper labour of love.

Easy: Classic Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding

The one everyone should have in their back pocket. One bowl, no fancy technique, and it never fails to impress.

Serves 6

You’ll need:

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder, plus 2 tablespoons extra
1 cup caster sugar, plus 1 cup extra
125g butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups boiling water

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and grease a medium baking dish.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, 1/4 cup cocoa and 1 cup caster sugar.
Stir in the melted butter, milk and vanilla until just combined, then pour the batter into the prepared dish.
In a separate bowl or jug, mix the extra 1 cup caster sugar with the extra 2 tablespoons cocoa, then sprinkle evenly over the batter — don’t stir it in.
Carefully pour the boiling water evenly over the back of a spoon onto the surface of the pudding (this stops it disturbing the batter underneath). Again, don’t stir.
Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the top is set and spongy. Rest for 5 minutes before serving with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Medium: Butterscotch Self-Saucing Pudding

A step up in richness and technique, with a homemade butterscotch sauce that takes a little more attention but rewards you with real depth of flavour.

Serves 6

You’ll need:

For the pudding:

1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
60g butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten

For the sauce:

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
40g butter
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and grease a medium baking dish.
Sift the flour into a bowl and stir through the brown sugar, breaking up any lumps.
Add the melted butter, milk, vanilla and egg, whisking until smooth, then pour into the prepared dish.
To make the sauce, combine the brown sugar and butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth.
Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the boiling water, vanilla and a pinch of salt until fully combined.
Gently pour the hot sauce over the back of a spoon onto the batter, taking your time to cover the surface evenly without disturbing the batter underneath.
Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top is well risen and firm to touch. Rest for 5–10 minutes before serving, spooning the extra sauce from the base of the dish over each portion.

Hard: Salted Caramel Espresso Self-Saucing Pudding

For those who want to properly show off. This version involves making a caramel from scratch, folding through whipped egg whites for an extra-light sponge, and balancing coffee, chocolate and salted caramel in one show-stopping dessert.

Serves 6–8

You’ll need:

For the caramel sauce:

1 cup caster sugar
1/4 cup water
60g butter
3/4 cup cream
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

For the pudding:

1 1/4 cups self-raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, dissolved in 2 tablespoons boiling water
100g butter, softened
3/4 cup caster sugar, divided
2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To finish:

1 1/2 cups boiling water
Extra sea salt flakes, for sprinkling

Method:

Make the caramel sauce first:

Place the caster sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan gently (don’t stir) until the sugar dissolves, then increase the heat and let it bubble, without stirring, until it turns a deep amber colour — watch closely, as this can happen quickly.
Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the butter, followed by the cream (it will bubble vigorously, so take care). Stir through the sea salt flakes, then set aside to cool slightly.
Make the pudding:

Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced) and grease a medium-large baking dish.

Sift together the flour and cocoa powder into a bowl and set aside.

In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter with 1/2 cup of the caster sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, then stir through the dissolved espresso mixture and vanilla.

Fold in the sifted flour and cocoa alternately with the milk, mixing until just combined.

In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup caster sugar, whisking until glossy stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the egg whites through the chocolate batter in two batches, being careful to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.

Spoon the batter into the prepared dish and smooth the top. Pour over about half of the prepared caramel sauce (reserve the rest for serving), followed by the boiling water over the back of a spoon.

Bake for 40–45 minutes, until well risen and just set on top – it should still have a slight wobble underneath. Rest for 10 minutes.

Warm the reserved caramel sauce gently and drizzle generously over each serving, finishing with an extra scatter of sea salt flakes.

Whether you’ve got ten minutes and a craving for chocolate, or a whole afternoon to spend layering caramel and coffee into something truly special, self-saucing pudding season is exactly what winter was made for. Grab a spoon, dig deep, and don’t skimp on the ice cream.