Malva Pudding

Malva pudding is the dessert South Africans reach for when the weather turns cold and the kettle goes on. Some say the name comes from the Dutch malva, a soft pink flower, and the pudding’s history is long enough that nobody quite agrees. What everyone agrees on is the result: a caramelized sponge that drinks up a hot cream and butter sauce until it is glossy, sticky, and dangerously good.

A warm, saucy sponge with a caramelized top

The pudding bakes into a soft, springy cake with a golden, almost caramelized crust, then gets a bath of hot cream sauce that sinks into every pore. The apricot jam gives it a gentle fruitiness, and the texture walks the line between cake and pudding. Serve it straight from the oven with custard or vanilla ice cream, and do not skimp on the sauce.

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