Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding Cake

Ingredients

• 85 g unsalted butter (3 oz / 6 tbsp (melted) )
• 2 eggs
• 120 mL milk (½ cup (OPTIONAL - substitute ¼ cup / 60 mL with bourbon))
• 100 g white sugar (½ cup)
• 150 g AP flour (1 ¼ cup (spooned and leveled))
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 30 g cocoa powder (approximately ¼ cup (spooned and leveled), or 3 tbsp packed)
• 120 g semisweet chocolate chips (⅔ cup)
• 2 tsp vanilla (OR 1 tsp instant coffee (both are optional))
• 150 g brown sugar (¾ cup)
• 30 g cocoa powder (approximately ¼ cup (spooned and leveled), or 3 tbsp packed)
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 400 mL boiling water (1 ⅔ cups)
• 4 tbsp bourbon (optional (OR add same amount of water))

Steps

1. 1

   Butter an 8-9 inch square oven-safe deep dish, or a 9 inch deep pie dish. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt to mix. Sift these dry ingredients if there are lumps.

3. 3

   In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, milk (and bourbon if using). You can also add vanilla or instant coffee for extra flavor here, if you like.

4. 4

   Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and use a whisk to gently mix together. (You can also add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients too - it doesn't make a difference, but the batter is more likely to form lumps this way.) Mix until you have a smooth batter, but make sure you do not overmix.

5. 5

   During the last few folds, add the chocolate chips and fold them in.

6. 6

   Scrape the batter into the prepared oven-safe dish and evenly spread it. Set aside.

7. 7

   Combine brown sugar, cocoa powder, and salt together. Whisk together really well and make sure there are no sugar lumps. Use your hands to break up the lumps if necessary.

8. 8

   Sprinkle the sugar-cocoa mixture evenly on the surface of the cake layer. This will be a fairly thick layer and make sure to use ALL of the sugar-cocoa mixture.

9. 9

   Measure out the boiling water and stir in the bourbon (if using).

10. 10

    Pour the boiling water on top of the batter. (To pour it evenly, you can use a large spoon and pour it along the back of the spoon, while moving the spoon over the surface of the batter).

11. 11

    Immediately place in the oven and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until the middle of the cake / pudding has just started to set and is springy to the touch.

12. 12

    Remove from the oven and let it cool for just 1 - 2 minutes. Serve while still hot, with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.