Malva Pudding is a sweet baked pudding of Dutch origin. It’s usually served with custard and/or ice cream. It’s made with apricot jam and vinegar and has a soft, spongy, velvety texture. It’s a very popular South African dessert.
Sometimes it’s been translated as Marshmallow pudding, with people saying that it’s because it resembles the texture of a marshmallow. This is not true. This story came from the fact that in Afrikaans the words “Malva lekker” means Marshmallow, over time the Malva in Malva Pudding got translated to Marshmallow also.
The pudding’s name is derived from Malvacea wine from Madeira. The dessert and dessert wine used to be served together after main course at Cape tables. It is of distinct Cape Dutch origin with many unique additions which may differ from one area to the next eg. ginger, apricot jam. There are also many variants of this dessert namely the Cape Brandy Pudding which also include brandy and dates and the Tipsy Tart which contains only brandy.
Click here for a traditional, delicious Malva Pudding Recipe.
