Abdullahi Lamb
Malva pudding is a traditional South African dessert, similar to British sticky toffee pudding. It is a baked, sauce-smothered sponge pudding, made with apricot jam, white vinegar, sugar, flour and eggs. The pudding is served warm with a sweet sauce poured on top. The dessert is best served warm with custard or cream.
What You'll Learn
How to make the sponge pudding
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons smooth apricot jam/apricot preserves
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 4 tablespoons golden syrup (or maple syrup/honey)
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup fresh cream
- 3 1/2 ounces butter
- 3-5 ounces sugar
- 1/3 cup hot water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease a baking dish (around 30x15cm).
In a small saucepan, melt the apricot jam, butter, sugar, and vinegar together over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then pour the mixture into a large bowl.
Stir the dry ingredients (flour, bicarbonate of soda/baking soda, and salt) together in a medium mixing bowl. Once the butter mixture has cooled to room temperature, add the flour mixture and the milk, stirring until the mixture is smooth.
Beat or whisk in the eggs. Pour the batter into your greased baking dish and place in the preheated oven.
Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until the pudding is golden/dark brown and a skewer/knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Tips
- If you prefer a less sweet pudding, you can halve the amount of sugar in the recipe.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend or almond flour for the all-purpose flour.
- You can also experiment with different types of jam, such as strawberry or lemon curd, or even add chocolate chips.
- For an adult version, add a tablespoon of orange juice or 1-2 tablespoons of dark rum to the sauce.
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How to make the sauce
While the pudding is baking, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients—butter, cream, sugar, water, star anise, vanilla essence, and golden syrup—and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow the sauce to simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. This extended cooking time will give the sauce a richer, deeper taste.
Once the pudding is out of the oven, use a fork to stab it a few times. This will help the sauce to sink in and ensure it doesn't pool at the sides, soaking only there. Then, pour the sauce slowly over the pudding, making sure to cover all parts of it. Allow the pudding to stand for at least 10 to 20 minutes before serving, giving the sauce time to soak into the pudding.
The malva pudding is best served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a side of custard or cream.
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How to assemble the pudding
To assemble the pudding, you will need to prepare the sauce and the cake.
For the sauce, combine all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes.
For the cake, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar, eggs, apricot jam, melted butter, and vinegar until they are thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until thoroughly mixed.
Pour the cake batter into a greased baking dish and bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until a knife/skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Once the cake is done, poke holes all over the hot cake with a skewer, then pour the warm sauce over it. Allow the pudding to rest for at least 10 to 30 minutes before serving.
The pudding is best served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, custard, or cream.
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How to store malva pudding
Malva pudding can be stored in a few different ways. If you want to make it in advance, you can keep it in the fridge for up to a day before serving. It can also be frozen for up to three months. To freeze, allow the pudding to cool, then wrap it with foil. To reheat, defrost for 30 minutes or until hot throughout, and pour over extra syrup to keep it moist.
If you have any leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Some people prefer to eat these chilled, while others like to heat them up for a few seconds in the microwave.
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The history of malva pudding
Malva pudding is a sweet, sticky pudding of Cape Dutch origin. It is a traditional South African dessert, similar to British sticky toffee pudding. The dessert is popular in Cape Town and is considered a staple food in South Africa.
There are several theories about the origin of the name 'Malva pudding'. The most popular theory is that the name comes from the Afrikaans term 'malvalekker', meaning 'marshmallow' in English. The word 'malvalekker' is derived from the Latin term 'malva', which means 'mallow'. The pudding's texture is said to resemble that of a marshmallow or a similar Afrikaner sweet called 'malvelekker', made with marshmallow extract. Another theory suggests that the pudding was once flavoured with the leaves of the geranium, which is called 'malva' in Afrikaans. A third theory is that the pudding was named after a woman called Malva, and the final theory is that the sauce that is poured over the pudding originally contained Malvasia (malmsey) wine, or brandy and sherry as alternatives.
The earliest known documentation of the dessert can be traced back to a 1924 book titled 'South African Cookery Made Easy' by Mrs PW De Klerk. However, this version of the recipe did not include apricot jam, brandy, or rose geranium, and it predated the commercial production of marshmallow sweets.
Malva pudding is typically made with apricot jam, butter, sugar, vinegar, flour, eggs, and a sweet sauce poured on top. The pudding is baked in the oven and served warm with custard, cream, or ice cream. It is known for its rich, sticky, and spongy texture, and is often described as a comforting and indulgent dessert.
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Frequently asked questions
You will need eggs, sugar, apricot jam, butter, vinegar, milk, flour, baking soda/bicarbonate of soda, and salt. For the sauce, you will need butter, cream, sugar, and water.
You will need a saucepan, a mixing bowl, an oven-proof dish, and a wooden spoon.
First, preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C. Then, beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy, and beat in the apricot jam. Next, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the vinegar and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the milk, and beat well. Pour the batter into a greased oven-proof dish and bake for 30-45 minutes, or until a knife or skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. While the pudding is baking, make the sauce by combining the butter, cream, sugar, and water in a saucepan and bringing it to a boil. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, then pour the sauce over the pudding as soon as it comes out of the oven. Let the pudding stand for 10-20 minutes before serving warm.
You can add additional ingredients such as fruits, nuts, and wines to the batter and sauce. For example, you can add orange juice or dessert wine to the sauce, or fold chopped poached pears into the batter before baking. You can also spike the sauce with dark rum or whiskey for an adult version.
Yes, you can make the cake and sauce ahead of time and store them separately. The cake can be baked up to one day in advance and stored at room temperature, or up to three days in the fridge. The sauce can be made up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator. Reheat both the cake and sauce before serving, and pour the sauce over the cake at least 30 minutes before serving.
