Matt Tebbutt’s chocolate pudding and mascarpone ice cream recipe

A pub dessert classic that’s easier to make at home than you think

Chocolate pudding and mascarpone ice cream (Chris Terry/PA) (Chris Terry)

“This is quite a light, delicate chocolate cake, with a deliciously molten interior. The star anise is optional if you’re not a fan,” says TV chef Matt Tebbutt.

Chocolate pudding and mascarpone ice cream

Makes: 10-12 little puddings

Ingredients:

For the mascarpone:

350ml water

150g caster sugar

Finely grated zest and juice (about 75ml) of 2 unwaxed lemons

400g mascarpone cheese

For the chocolate puddings:

250g dark chocolate, broken into pieces

250g unsalted butter

125g caster sugar

1 tsp freshly ground star anise, sieved (remove the seeds from the pod, and crush in a pestle and mortar), optional

5 medium free-range eggs

5 medium free-range egg yolks

50g plain floura pinch of salt

Good-quality cocoa powder, to serve (optional)

Method:

‘Pub Food’ is full of elevated classics (Quadrille)

1. Start both the ice cream and cake the day before. For the ice cream, simply boil the water, sugar and lemon zest in a saucepan. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove from the heat and stir in the mascarpone with the lemon juice. Cool and chill in an ice-cream maker (be careful not to over-churn). Freeze in a suitable container.

2. For the chocolate pudding, melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water. In a bowl, whisk the sugar, powdered anise, whole eggs and egg yolks until light and pale. Slowly add the melted chocolate to the egg and sugar mixture. Carefully fold in the flour and salt. Pour the mixture into little 200ml non-stick moulds, filling them halfway. Chill in the fridge overnight.

3. Next day, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas 4.

4. Remove the pudding batter from the fridge, bring to room temperature and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, no longer. The outside of the cake mix should be set firm yet the middle will remain molten.

5. Serve the cake hot with the mascarpone ice cream and a dusting of cocoa powder, if liked.

Recipe from ‘Matt Tebbutt’s Pub Food’ by Matt Tebbutt (Quadrille, £26).