A classic local dessert filled with golden buttery deliciousness, Malva pudding will always be our ultimate comfort dessert

SERVES 8–10 //  TOTAL TIME 1 hr 45 min

 

For the custard

Cream 2 cups

Vanilla essence 2 tsp

Caster sugar 3 tbsp

Egg yolks 4 

 

RECTANGULAR dish recipe:

For the malva

Sugar 1 cups

Eggs 3 

Apricot jam, heated 45 ml

Flour 1 ½ cups

Bicarbonate of soda 1 ½ tsp

Salt 1 tsp

Butter 25 g

Vinegar 7.5 ml

Milk 150 ml

Dark chocolate, roughly chopped 150 g

Oranges, zested 2

For the malva sauce

Cream 1 cups

Butter 150 g

Sugar ¾ cup

Hot water ¾ cup

 

ROUND dish recipe:

For the malva

Sugar 1 cup

Eggs 2

Apricot jam, heated 30 ml

Flour 1 cup

Bicarb 1 tsp

Salt ½ tsp

Butter 15 g

Vinegar 1 tsp

Milk 100 ml

Dark chocolate, roughly chopped 80 g

Orange, zested 1

For the malva sauce

Cream 1 cup

Butter 100 g

Sugar ½ cup

Hot water ½ cup

 

FOR THE CUSTARD

1. Place the cream and vanilla in a pot over medium heat.

2. Add the sugar and egg yolks to a bowl and whisk for 3 minutes, until pale and thick.

3. Just before the cream starts simmering, remove from the heat. 

4. While whisking the egg yolk mixture, add around ½ a cup of the hot cream and stir vigorously to mix through. Continue to add the cream bit by bit, so as to not curdle the eggs.

5. Move the custard back into the pot and place over a low heat.

6. Stir continuously for 10–15 minutes until the custard has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.

7. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits into a jug. Place a layer of clingfilm on the surface of the custard and refrigerate until needed. Adding the clingfilm to the surface of the custard prevents a skin from forming.

 

FOR THE MALVA

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

2. Add the sugar and eggs to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat well until thick, about 2 minutes. Mix through the jam.

3. In a separate bowl, sieve together the flour, bicarb and salt.

4. Add the butter, vinegar and milk to a bowl and microwave until the butter is just melted.

5. Add the sifted dry ingredients and the milk mixture alternately to the egg mixture. Beat well until smooth and combined. Stir through the chocolate and orange zest until evenly dispersed. Cover and bake for 45–55 minutes.

 

FOR THE SAUCE

1. Just before the Malva is ready, place the ingredients for the sauce in a pot over medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved and butter has melted.

2. Remove the Malva from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Use a skewer or knife to pierce holes all over the surface, through to the bottom of the dish.

3. Slowly pour the hot sauce over the Malva, stopping to let it absorb the liquid before adding more.

4. Serve the Malva pudding with the vanilla custard.

 

Top tip This dessert is packed full of golden buttery, chocolatey goodness. It’s definitely an indulgent recipe, and can be enjoyed without an accompanying custard or ice cream. Leave out the chocolate or orange zest for a more traditional flavour, or add in some alcohol for a boozy twist – we recommend bourbon or Amarula!

 

Stylist: Sjaan van der Ploeg;
Stylist’s assistants: Jezza-Rae Larsen & Kirsty Buchanan
Photography: Callen Jefferson/hmimages.co.za

 

We’ve put together 4 nostalgic dessert recipes, chocolate-chip cookies, bread pudding eclairs and chocolate pudding to make you feel right at home.