Saucy Puddings

Here are a couple of self-saucing puddings which are always fun to serve. As with all recipes, read the method first which gives us a chance to prepare any containers, heat the oven to the right temperature, above all to understand the whys and wherefores of why things are done.

Hot Fruit Pudding
1 large can pineapple pieces (or use any canned fruit)
20 (50g) each butter, sugar and flour
2 eggs, separated
Drain the fruit, keeping back 1/4 pint.
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then beat in the egg yolks. Add the flour gradually, then beat in the 1/4 pint of the juice. It may look odd but that's OK. Beat egg whites and fold them into the mixture. Pour into a buttered dish and stand this in a roasting tin of cold water. Bake at 180C , 350F, Gas 4 for 40 - 45 minutes. The mixture rises to a souffle type topping with the sauce underneath. Heat the saved fruit and serve with the pudding.

Hot Chocolate Pudding
a bare 6 oz ( 150g) flour,
2 tsp baking powder
6 oz (150g) sugar,
2 tblsp cocoa
pinch salt,
5 fl. oz milk
2 oz (50g) melted butter,
flavouring*
Sift together the dry ingredients, then add the butter, milk and flavouring. Mix until smooth.
Pour into a buttered dish. Add topping ingredients.
Topping: 4 oz (125g) sugar, 3 tblsp cocoa. (water)
Mix together the dry ingredients and sprinkle over the batter. Pour over 15 fl.oz boiling water which should float on the top. Do not stir. Bake at the same temperature and for the same time as the preceding recipe. The batter mixture bakes into a cake and the topping sinks below to make a sauce.
*Flavourings: vanilla, coffee or orange go very well with chocolate.