selfsaucing

This low sugar self-saucing chocolate pudding is a perfect winter dessert – so I thought I’d better sneak it onto the blog before the weather starts to warm up! It is so easy to make and the result is a moist, gooey chocolate centre and a light, fluffy cake on top. Certainly not an everyday food, but a lovely refined sugar-free chocolate hit. I’ve also included variations for gluten, grain, dairy-free and low-fructose. My kids go crazy for this simple dessert!

Health benefits

While this pudding is definitely a treat, using wholemeal spelt flour and natural sweeteners like rice malt syrup or honey makes it a healthier option compared to traditional chocolate puddings. Cacao is rich in antioxidants and can give your mood a boost, so there’s a little extra goodness packed into every bite.

Ingredients in 

You’ll need butter, milk, an egg, baking powder, coconut sugar or rapadura, cacao powder (or cocoa powder), and wholemeal spelt flour for the cake. The sauce comes together with rice malt syrup, cacao, and boiling water for that signature self-saucing effect. It’s a simple ingredient list that creates something magical.

How to make this healthier chocolate self-saucing pudding

Start by preheating your oven and greasing your ovenproof baking dish or ramekins. Blend or whisk together the wet ingredients in a medium bowl with the sugar and cacao, fold in the spelt flour and gently stir until combined. Pour the pudding batter into your prepared dish or ramekins and carefully pour the sauce mixture over the top of the batter using the back of a spoon to slow the flow. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the top is set and the sauce is bubbling underneath.

If you own a Thermomix, we’ve also included Thermomix instructions for this recipe.

Serving suggestions and how to store

This pudding is best served fresh out of the oven while the chocolate sauce is still hot and gooey. Pair it with double cream, coconut cream or vanilla ice cream and add some fresh berries for a refreshing contrast. If you have leftovers (unlikely!), store them in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat gently.

Vary this low sugar self-saucing chocolate pudding to suit 

To make this self-saucing chocolate pudding dairy-free, use coconut milk and replace butter with macadamia nut oil or coconut oil. For a gluten-free version, swap the spelt flour for a blend of almond meal and buckwheat flour. Low-fructose? Try pure stevia instead of coconut sugar. 

Take a look at the variations (below the main recipe) for suggestions to alter the recipe to suit your specific dietary requirements.

For more delicious, healthy and easy to make wholefood treats, click HERE.

Print Recipe

4.70 from 30 votes

Self-saucing Chocolate Pudding

This self-saucing chocolate pudding is the ultimate indulgence, with a rich, gooey chocolate centre and a light, fluffy cake on top. It’s perfect for a cozy dessert that’s easy to throw together but feels like a special treat. Serve it hot out of the oven with cream or berries for a delicious dessert.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 80 g butter -melted
• 120 ml milk (of choice) (½ cup)
• 1 large egg/s
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar or rapadura
• 2 tbsp cacao powder -unsweetened Dutch process or raw
• 115 g wholemeal spelt flour (1 cup) see gluten-free below

For the sauce

• 170 g rice malt syrup, honey or maple syrup (½ cup)
• 2 tbsp cacao powder -unsweetened Dutch process or raw
• 250 ml boiling water (1 cup)

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 180º C/350°F (fan forced). Grease an 8 cup capacity ovenproof dish or four large ramekins.
• In a food processor or blender mix together the melted butter, milk, egg, baking powder, coconut sugar and cacao until frothy and very well combined. 
• If using a Thermomix, melt the butter 1 minute, temp 80, speed 3. Add the milk, egg, baking powder, sugar, and cacao and mix 30 seconds, speed 5.
• Fold through the spelt flour gently until just combined (don't over-mix or it will become rubbery).
• If using a Thermomix, mix 10 seconds, interval speed, fold in flour from side
• In a large jug, dissolve the rice malt syrup and cacao in the boiling water.
• Place the cake batter into the oven proof dish or divide between the ramekins.
• Slowly pour the sauce over the back of a large metal spoon to cover the cake mix.
• Place your dish or ramekin on a tray in case the sauce bubbles over and bake for approximately 20 minutes (for the ramekins) and 30 minutes if using a large dish.
• Serve hot out of the oven with double cream and berries.

Store

• Best hot and fresh out of the oven but can also be stored airtight in the fridge and reheated in a low oven.

Notes

Dairy-free

Use coconut milk and swap the butter for 80ml of macadamia nut oil or coconut oil. Serve with coconut cream.

Grain and gluten-free

Swap the spelt for half a cup of almond meal and half a cup of buckwheat flour.

Low-fructose

Exchange the coconut sugar for pure stevia (to taste).

Coconut-free

Choose rapadura as your sweetener.

 

I'd love to hear how you like this scrumptious pudding. Post a comment or rate the recipe below.