Chocolate sponge with chocolate custard recipe

By Lizzie Kamenetzy & Lucy Williams

Serves 8
Takes 25 minutes to make, 50 minutes to cook
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This pudding brings back memories of that rare school dinner treat – the pudding every kid loved, with soft, springy chocolate sponge squares coated in thick chocolate custard. School food, but good. Here it’s back and better than ever.

Ingredients

250g unsalted butter at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
200g golden caster sugar
50g soft dark brown sugar
4 medium free-range eggs, beaten
250g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp dark cocoa powder
50g dark chocolate, grated
1 tsp vanilla extract
125ml whole milk, warm
For the chocolate custard
300ml whole milk
300ml double cream
4 large free-range egg yolks
3 tbsp golden caster sugar
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp cornflour

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Grease and line a square 20cm cake or brownie tin.
2. Beat the butter with an electric hand mixer or in a stand mixer until soft, then add the sugars and beat for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Sift over the flour, baking powder and cocoa, then carefully fold through the mix along with the grated chocolate.
4. Add the vanilla extract and enough of the warm milk to create a smooth mixture with a dropping consistency. Pour into the tin and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5. Meanwhile make the custard. Heat the milk and cream together until almost boiling. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl with the sugar, cocoa and cornflour, then pour the hot milk and cream over the top. Whisk well, then return to a clean pan.
6. Cook over a low-medium heat, stirring constantly, until it forms a custard that thickly coats the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside.
7. Turn out the sponge and cut into 8 equal squares. Serve warm with the chocolate custard poured over.

Nutritional info

PER SERVING 844kcals, 58.9g fat (35g saturated), 12.6g protein, 66.1g carbs (43.8g sugars), ?0.9g salt, 3g fibre

Chef's tip

FREEZE ...the sponge and custard separately. Reheat the sponge from frozen. Defrost the custard and reheat. The sponge also makes a great cake for large parties. Cool, then smother the top with a generous coating of chocolate buttercream icing. Decorate if you like, then cut into pieces and serve.