A rich chocolate sponge that's gooey and warm in the middle, with the occasional melted Butlers 70% dark chocolate chunk. Soft, sweet pears and lovely crunchy toasted almond flakes on top. And to finish off, serve with a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream and a thick chocolate sauce. This is a perfect comfort pudding, especially good when served on a cold day.
INGREDIENTS:
For the pudding:
225g unsalted butter
300g caster sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
75g plain flour
50g cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
100g Butlers 70% Dark Chocolate Bar, roughly chopped into large chunks
2 x (410g) tins canned pear halves in juice, drained
50g flaked almonds
For the sauce:
125ml double cream
4 Butlers Hot Chocolate Drink portions
Optional: vanilla ice cream to serve
METHOD:
Pre-heat oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5.
Grease an oven-proof dish, approx. 20cm x 30cm, with 25g of butter. Set aside.
Place the remaining butter in a large saucepan and melt over low heat.
Remove from the heat, then add the sugar and stir until thoroughly combined.
Leave to cool slightly, about 10 minutes, and then slowly pour in the beaten eggs while mixing with a whisk to combine.
Stir in vanilla extract.
Sift flour, cocoa and salt over the butter mixture, then whisk in until thoroughly combined.
Fold in the chocolate chunks.
Pour batter into the prepared dish, then arrange pear halves on top, pushing them into the batter.
Sprinkle with flaked almonds, then bake in a preheated oven for about 28-30 minutes, until pudding has a crust over the surface, but is still soft and sticky inside. While the pudding is baking, prepare the chocolate sauce.
Pour cream into a small saucepan and add the Butlers Hot Chocolate Drink portions.
Heat over medium heat until the chocolate has melted into the cream, stirring gently to make sure the bottom doesn't burn and to help mix the sauce.
Once ready, pour the sauce into a small serving jug. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can refrigerate it to help thicken faster - it will thicken the longer it cools.
Once the pudding has baked, remove from the oven and leave to stand for about 5 minutes. Serve pudding while still hot with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and a generous drizzle of chocolate sauce
Butlers Chocolate Pear Pudding
