Brandy and Coke Chocolate Pudding
South Africa's favourite drink turned into a pudding. A rich chocolate brownie base soaked in a dark chocolate and Coca-Cola sauce spiked with brandy. Sweet, decadent and completely over the top. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Brandy and Coke is South Africa's national drink in everything but name. Walk into any braai, any New Year's party, any rugby match and someone has a double in hand. It is as South African as boerewors and bad sunburn. Ina Paarman had the brilliant idea of turning the combination into a pudding, and the result is exactly what you'd expect: deeply chocolatey, sticky and completely unapologetic. In the UAE, brandy availability varies by household, so the non-alcoholic version using extra Coke is listed below. The Coke is non-negotiable either way.
Ingredients
- 1 Ina Paarman's Chocolate Brownies Mix
- 2 extra-large eggs
- 125 ml canola oil
- 60 ml butter, melted
- 125 ml full cream milk, hot
- 5 ml cornstarch (Maizena)
- 310 ml Coca-Cola
- a pinch of salt
- 45 ml butter
- 80 g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- 60 ml brandy
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, rack in the middle position. Grease a deep ovenproof dish approximately 24 x 18 cm.
- Mix the brownie mix with the eggs, canola oil, melted butter and hot milk until just combined. Scrape into the prepared dish.
- Bake for 45 minutes until just set in the centre. Test with a skewer or toothpick. A deeper dish may need 50 minutes; a shallower dish 40 minutes.
- While the pudding bakes, make the sauce. In a small cup, mix the cornstarch with 60 ml of the Coke until smooth.
- Pour the remaining 250 ml of Coke into a small saucepan. Add the cornstarch mixture and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously.
- Boil for one minute, then remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and chopped chocolate until fully melted and smooth.
- Add the brandy or extra Coke. Stir to combine.
- Remove the pudding from the oven and prick all over with a fork or skewer. Pull the edges away from the sides of the dish slightly.
- Pour the sauce over the pudding ladle by ladle, giving it time to absorb before adding more. The pudding will soak it all up even if some pools on top.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Notes
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C, middle rack. Grease a 24 x 18 cm ovenproof dish.
- Mix brownie mix with eggs, oil, melted butter and hot milk. Scrape into dish.
- Bake for 45 minutes until just set. A deeper dish needs 50 minutes, shallower needs 40.
- Mix cornstarch with 60 ml Coke until smooth. Add to remaining 250 ml Coke in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, stirring. Boil for one minute.
- Remove from heat. Stir in butter and chocolate until melted. Add brandy or extra Coke.
- Remove pudding from oven. Prick all over and pull edges from the sides of the dish.
- Pour sauce over ladle by ladle, allowing it to absorb before adding more.
- Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
No brandy? Replace with an extra 60 ml of Coca-Cola. The chocolate and Coke combination still delivers.