Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2. Butter and line the base of a 900ml/1½ pint pudding bowl with a circle of greaseproof paper or butter wrapper.
Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until pale and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs a little at a time (add a spoonful of flour if the mixture begins to curdle).
Sift together the flour and cocoa powder and fold into the mixture with the melted chocolate, chopped pecans and milk.
Spoon the mixture into the bowl and cover with a round of greased and pleated greaseproof paper tied securely with fine string. Cover with pleated foil.
Steam for 1½-2 hours (see directions below) until the pudding is risen and firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the pudding comes out clean.
For the chocolate sauce, place all the ingredients in a heat-proof bowl and set this over a pan of simmering water. Leave until melted, then remove from the heat and stir until smooth.
Turn the pudding out on to a plate, while warm. Pour over some of the chocolate sauce and decorate as desired. Serve the remaining sauce on the side. Enjoy!
To Steam:
Put two long strips of tin foil cross-wise on your work top.
Place a roasting tin onto the foil. Sit the pudding bowl into the tin and fill with boiling water to within 2cm/1in of the top of the tin.
Bring the tin foil around to form a parcel, gathering at the top and securing with string. This should be airtight to prevent any steam escaping.
Place in an oven preheated to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2 for the specified time. There is no need to top up with water during cooking.
