Ching-He Huang

Mini Steamed Chocolate Puddings with Fresh Lychees and Melted Chocolate

Preparation info

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Serves

    4

Appears in

China Modern: 100 Cutting-Edge, Fusion-Style Recipes for the 21st Century

China Modern

By Ching-He Huang

Published 2006

The East meets East influence in this recipe is the liberal use of fresh lychees and the reliable bamboo steamer to ensure the chocolate puddings are cooked to perfection. Oh, and don’t forget the melted chocolate: this will have your guests begging for more.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 5⅓ oz margarine, softened
  • ¾ cup self-rising flour
  • 4 tablespoons superfine sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 oz dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into squares
  • 3½ oz milk chocolate, broken into squares
  • 7 oz fresh lychees

Method

  1. Grease 4 individual metal pudding basins or ramekin dishes.
  2. Put the margarine, flour, sugar, eggs and cocoa powder into a mixing bowl and beat until the mixture is smooth and combined. Chop the dark chocolate pieces and add them to the mixture.
  3. Spoon the mixture into the pudding basins and smooth over the tops – they should be about half full. Cover each one with some parchment paper or waxed paper and then cover with a piece of pleated foil.
  4. Place the puddings in a large bamboo steamer over a pan or wok with boiling water. Make sure the base is not immersed in water. Cook for 40 minutes until the puddings have risen and are light and springy to touch. Remove from the heat and keep warm in the steamer.
  5. Put the milk chocolate pieces into a heatproof bowl. Place it over a pan of boiling water and melt the chocolate.
  6. Run a knife round the edges of the pudding basins and carefully invert the chocolate puddings onto serving plates. Decorate with fresh lychees on the side, pour over the melted chocolate and serve immediately.

© 2006 Ching-He Huang. All rights reserved.