Chocolate Cobbler (American South)

american-southern-chocolatecobbler Also known as chocolate pudding cake, chocolate cobbler is two desserts in one: a layer of tender cake mixed up with warm, pudding-like fudge. It's also made with basic pantry staples, so you can whip it up at a moment's notice or whenever a serious chocolate craving hits. Chocolate Cobbler is rich, chocolatey, delicious and a Southern classic. It is a perfect combination of a dessert with a delightful brownie top over a rich fudge sauce. When you scoop a bit out, the fudge sauce is smooth and creamy and reminds me of a rich lava cake. But this is much easier to make.

Chocolate Cake:
½ cup unsalted butter (113.5 g)
1½ cups Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Granular), divided (300 g)
4 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder, divided (19 g)
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached (250 g)
2 tsp. baking powder (10 g)
¼ tsp. sea salt (1.5 g)
1 cup milk (240 mL)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract (10 mL)

Chocolate Cobbler Topping:
2 cups Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Powdered)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups water, boiling hot (720 mL)

To Serve:
vanilla ice cream

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

Place the butter in a 9x13" (23x33cm) baking dish and put it in the oven until melted. Once melted, remove from the oven and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together 1½ cups sugar, 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, salt, milk and vanilla extract until well combined.

Pour the batter over the melted butter in the baking dish, but do not stir.

In another bowl, mix together 2 cups sugar and 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder. Sprinkle the mixture over the batter in the baking dish, but again, do not stir.

Pour the boiling water over the mixture in the baking dish, but do not stir.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is set. The bottom will be loose and gooey.

Let the cobbler cool for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Makes 12 servings.

Cook's Notes:

This recipe is best served warm, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Make sure to spoon the batter over the melted butter, but do not stir it.
Similarly, sprinkle the sugar and cocoa powder topping over the batter, but do not stir.
The bottom of the cobbler will be a bit gooey, which is part of the charm of this dessert.
Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

How to Store and Freeze:

To Store: Tightly cover the cooled chocolate cobbler with a food wrap or place it in an airtight storage container and place it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
To Freeze: Place completely cooled cobbler in an airtight freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating the next day.
To Reheat: Once the cobbler is removed from the refrigerator, make sure to remove any plastic lids or wrap and move it to an oven-safe dish if not in one already. Then cover with foil and gently reheat in the oven until heated throughout for about 20 minutes.