Chocolate for my honeys..

Fathers day was very special this year, we had breakfast with Tyron and Estée and a late lunch with Angelique and Damian at home.

Sunday's lunch was everything the two dad's in the house like.. Braai!! Braai with potato salad, noodle salad and cheesy garlic rolls and because both like chocolate cake, I made a baked chocolatey cakey/browny'ish/desserty thingamabob that I served warm with ice-cream and it was yummy!

I highlight this part of the meal because dessert is always the best part of a meal and specially if it's a cake kind of a thingy, right? (of course I'm right)

It was the first time I tried this recipe and it's based on one I found on 'simply delicious'. It had a lovely texture and taste, it just needed a bit more sugar (but this is purely our taste, it's actually fine the way it is). Also, I'm not sure if the syrup does anything for the cake, there's not enough to soak into the cake and make a real difference, also, the cake doesn't really need it if served with something. I'd rather drizzle warm ganache over when serving. (again, my taste only).

This cakey thingamabob bakes into a beautiful dome but for presentation purposes today, I cut the dome off. It didn't waste because we ate it with coffee later.

It's important to beat the eggs and sugar until pale and thick, so take the time to get it done,it really makes a difference.

Also, even if you might not enjoy eating dark chocolate, it has an intense chocolate flavour that adds to the chocolatyness of this bake.

Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Pudding

(enough for 6-8)

Ingredients:

½ cup butter/baking Margarine

100 g Chocolate

1 cup Sugar

4 extra-large Eggs

2 cups Flour

2 tsp Baking powder

¾ cup Cocoa powder

½ cup hot Coffee (1tsp instant coffee in ½ cup hot water or ½ cup strong brewed coffee)

1 tsp Vanilla

For the syrup:

1 cup Water

2/3 cup Sugar

2 tbsp Cocoa powder

2 tbsp Butter

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a baking dish ±25cm square.

Melt the chocolate and butter together then allow to cool slightly.

Whip the eggs and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture.

Sift the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture.

Mix in the hot coffee and vanilla.

Pour the batter into the prepared dish and place in the oven.

Allow to bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

While the pudding is baking, combine all the syrup ingredients and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes then remove from the heat.

Pour the syrup over the pudding as soon as it's out of the oven and allow to absorb. You can poke a few holes into the pudding with a toothpick to allow the syrup to soak properly.

Allow the pudding to stand for 10 minutes then serve with ice cream.