1. 1 Cup = 200ml

For the pudding base

Ingredients

1. Milk – 500 ml
2. Condensed milk – 200 gram
3. Sugar – ¼ cup (more or less according to your taste)
4. Vanilla essence – ½ tsp
5. China grass – 10 gram
6. Water – ¾ cup

Method

1. Cut the china grass to small pieces and soak it in ¾ cup of water for about half an hour.
2. In a non - stick deep pan, add milk, condensed milk, sugar and vanilla essence and bring to boil stirring occasionally. Reduce the flame and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes. Remove from flame.
3. In another pan boil the soaked china grass over very low flame stirring occasionally. When it is melted completely, remove it from the flame and add it to the boiled milk mixture little by little stirring continuously. Pour this to a pudding dish and leave it to set in the refrigerator for about 1 ½ - 2 hours.

For the chocolate cake

Ingredients

1. All purpose flour – 1 ½ cup
2. Cocoa powder – ¼ cup
3. Baking soda – ¾ tsp
4. Salt – ½ tsp
5. Water – 1 cup
6. Sugar – 1 cup
7. Vegetable oil – ¼ cup
8. Lemon juice – 1 tbsp
9. Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190 degree. Grease and dust a cake tin and keep it ready.
2. In a deep bowl, combine together all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and keep it ready.
3. In another bowl, add water and sugar and mix till the sugar melts completely. Add vegetable oil, lemon juice and vanilla essence to this and combine well.
4. To this add the flour mixture and mix till well combined. Pour this batter to the cake tin and bake it for about 35 minutes or till a wooden skewer or a tooth pick inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool. Now move it to the wire rack and cool it completely. Cut it horizontally to make two halves. Now cut both cake halves to squares and keep it ready.

Other ingredients for topping

Ingredients

1. Sugar – 3 tbsp (to make sugar syrup boil sugar with ¼ cup water and cool)
2. Whipping cream – 1 ¼ cup (chilled)
3. Condensed milk – ¼ cup
4. Powdered sugar – 3 tbsp
5. Vanilla essence – ½ tsp
6. Cherries (sliced) – ½ cup
7. Cooking chocolate ( chopped) – ½ cup
8. Thick cream / fresh cream – ½ cup
9. Unsalted butter – 1 tsp
10. Chocolate curls – ¼ cup (to garnish)
11. Cherries – as required (to garnish)

Method

1. Take the whipping cream in a chilled bowl and whip with an electric beater till light and creamy. To this add condensed milk, powdered sugar and vanilla essence and whip till stiff peaks are formed. Keep it in the refrigerator till other things are ready.
2. Heat the thick cream in the oven for about 30 – 45 seconds just till it starts bubbling. Remove from the oven and pour it over the cooking chocolate. Add 1 tsp butter to this and slowly stir till the chocolate melts completely. Leave it to cool at room temperature.

Layering

Method

1. Take the prepared pudding from the refrigerator and top it with the chocolate cake. Sprinkle little sugar syrup all over. Sprinkle half of the sliced cherries all over.
2. Now make a layer of whipped cream to cover the chocolate cake. Reserve some cream to garnish. Pour the melted chocolate mixture above the whipped cream.
3. Top it with the remaining sliced cherries and chocolate curls. Garnish the sides with the remaining whipped cream and cherries. Cool it for about an hour. Serve.

Note : Store bought chocolate cake can be used instead of homemade one. This can be served in individual cups also.