"We're talking pure, all-encompassing bliss," Nigella Lawson said of her hot chocolate pudding.

"When you eat this cooled, it is like chocolate satin cream and almost shocking in its pleasurable intensity."

The chef endorsed the pudding to be enjoyed cooled or hot, adding: "But I love it straight out of the pan, too, when it is like the best hot chocolate you've ever had, in spoonable form."

Needing only eight ingredients – including the classic combination of caster sugar and egg yolks – it doesn't take much to make this beautiful creation.

In fact, there's hardly any steps involved, meaning it's easy to make and even easier to eat.

Chocolate pudding

Serves: four people

Ingredients

• 250ml full-fat milk
• 125ml double cream
• 60g caster sugar
• One tbsp cornflour
• 35g cocoa powder
• Two large egg yolks
• One tsp vanilla extract
• 60g dark chocolate (finely chopped)

Method

Put the kettle on, and warm the milk and double cream together in a saucepan.

Put the sugar and cornflour into another saucepan and sieve in the cocoa powder. Add two tablespoons of freshly boiled water and whisk to make a paste.

Whisk in the egg yolks, one at a time, followed by the warmed milk and double cream, then add in the vanilla extract.

Scrape down the sides of the pan and put it on a lowish heat, cooking and whisking for about four minutes until the mixture thickens.

Take off the heat and whisk in the finely chopped chocolate, then pour into four small cups. Cover the tops of the cups with clingfilm, letting the clingfilm rest on the chocolate surface, to stop a skin forming, and refrigerate once they are cooler.

When ready to serve, let the chocolate puddings warm up a bit at room temperature and you can add a blob of cream on top, if you like.