People are sometimes confused about why malva pudding contains this surprising ingredient

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Heritage Day is a mere 6 days away and if you haven’t started planning your menu yet… what are you waiting for? 

ALSO READ: 9 Helpful steps to catering for a crowd at your Heritage Day braai

One of the most searched-for recipes on Food24 is malva pudding (aka malvapoeding or ‘marshmallow pudding’), and we aren’t surprised. There’s something just so decadent about taking a mouthful of the rich, spongy-textured, sticky toasted caramel flavoured bake. 

Food writer,  Nikki Werner did some extensive research back in 2013 on the moreish malva and this is what she learnt: 

– The earliest published reference of malva pudding was dated 1912.

– The sauce must contain brandy otherwise it’s not Malva pudding.

– It became mainstream in the early 80s when the restaurant at Boschendal had it on its menu. Probably the first restaurant ever to offer it, thanks to well-known wine and food writer, Michael Olivier who was working there at the time. 

There isn’t a soul I’ve met who doesn’t sink into a puddle of happiness when presented with a malva pudding but if you’ve ever made one from scratch, you’ll notice that one of the ingredients it calls for is vinegar. Non-bakers might think it odd but this is why it’s in the list: vinegar is an acid, which, when combined with baking soda, reacts and produces carbon dioxide bubbles that act as a raising agent – giving it that soft and spongy, marshmallowy mouthfeel that we all know and love.

If you’re craving a malva pudding right now (totally understandable), take a stab at this recipe… 

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