Self-saucing chocolate puddings like deep space

About six months ago I bought a sphericfication kit. What is that, you ask? A spherification kit allows you to make teeny tiny balls out of just about anything. Olive oil? Of course. Mint jelly? Yes! Vegemite? Not sure why, but sure, why not.

The kit has sat in my cupboard all this time gathering dust. I look at it and visions of high school science class come flooding back. Not good visions. I haven't been able to bring myself to try it. I know ol' Mr Heywood would appear as a towering misty figure and yell at me for getting it all wrong so the kit stays in the cupboard.

That isn't to say that I am not fascinated by food science, but until I can bring myself to put on a pair of elbow-length gloves and some industrial goggles, my spherification kit stays put and my toast is void of Vegemite balls.

Enter the self-saucing pudding. I can't explain the science behind it. To me it's like deep space. We just accept that it's there and that it's a beautiful thing. But think too deeply about it and the brain begins to hurt. Just know that somewhere between five and 15 minutes into their preparation, some weirdness happens in these puddings to make them all gooey and chocolatey in the middle.

Self-saucing chocolate puddings

Serves 4
10 minutes preparation
25 minutes cooking

• 140g self-raising flour
• 125g caster sugar
• ⅓ cup cocoa
• 125ml milk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 60g unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla essence
• 100g soft light-brown sugar
• icing sugar, to serve

Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease four 250ml sized ramekins or sturdy teacups (not grandma's best fine china).

In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, caster sugar, half the cocoa and a pinch of salt. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, egg, melted butter and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cups to about three quarters full and place on a baking sheet. Combine brown sugar and remaining cocoa powder and sprinkle over the top of each pudding.

Bring one cup of water to the boil and carefully pour boiling water over the back of a spoon to fill each pudding to the top. Bake the puddings for 20-25 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately with cream or ice-cream.