Malva Pudding Recipe

Malva pudding is a sweet, baked dessert originally brought to the Cape by Dutch settlers. With the inclusion of apricot jam it became a uniquely South African dessert still enjoyed today.

While there are various claims as to the origin of its name we’ve adopted the marshmallow story. Marshmallow is plant that produces a spongy substance. Traditionally, this was the essential ingredient in creating the spongy texture in old-fashioned sweets known in the Afrikaans language as malvalekkers. Accordingly, the “malva” in malva pudding refers to its light, spongy texture.

Recipe by: GOLD Restaurant
Serves: 8-10 (generous servings)
Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 45 minutes

Ingredients

T = tablespoon
t = teaspoon

• 250 ml (1/2 cup brown or white sugar)
• 1 egg
• 15 ml (2 T) soft butter (plus extra for greasing)
• 15 ml (2 T) smooth apricot jam
• 250 ml (1 cup) cake flour
• 10 ml (2 t) bicarbonate of soda
• ¼ t salt
• 250 ml (1 cup) milk
• 10 ml (2 t) wine vinegar
• 10 ml (2 t) vanilla essence

Sauce

• ½ x 400g tin evaporated milk
• 100 g unsalted butter
• 125 ml (1 cup) brown, white or treacle sugar
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) hot water

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°c.
2. Using the extra butter grease a large ovenproof bowl or baking dish.
3. In a separate bowl beat together the sugar, egg, butter, and jam until pale and fluffy.
4. Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt and fold into the egg mixture.
5. Combine the milk, vinegar and vanilla essence and fold into the egg mixture until thoroughly mixed.
6. Pour into the ovenproof bowl or baking dish and cover with lightly oiled foil.
7. Bake for 45 minutes until firm.

To prepare the sauce

1. Combine the sauce ingredients in a saucepan. Over a low to medium heat, stir until the butter melts, the sugar has dissolved and the sauce is heated
2. through. Pour directly over the pudding as it comes out of the oven.
3. Spoon pudding into dessert bowls.
4. Serve hot with ice cream or custard.

At GOLD Restaurant we serve ours with a sprinkling of edible gold dust.