Steamed Chocolate Pudding with Cherry Sauce

I took a picture of this, and then, because I'm working from a computer that isn't set up like a reasonable person would set it up (Thanks, Mr. ETB) I can't find the file. I just spent 20 minutes uploading it, but damned if I can locate it. It looks like a steamed pudding-use your imagination. I never wanted to be a photography-dependent cookery blog anyway. There are plenty of blogs that do that, if you're into that sort of thing. I'm still pissed about the twenty minutes though-I could have trimmed my toenails or something. 


I finally got around to making the steamed chocolate pudding in my 1950 edition of the Betty Crocker Cookbook. This book has been in my possession my entire life, but I'm just getting around to the pudding. You know those recipes for cake you make in a mug in the microwave? Yeah, it is like that, but slightly denser. Maybe a brownie meets cake-in-a-mug meets...well, you get the idea. Unlike the cake-in-a mug, this will take you two hours in the steamer, but once you stick it in the bowl, there isn't much active cookery save for the occasional topping up of water. The microwave version requires considerably more attention, if only for a few minutes.

You want to know about that sauce, dontcha? Think hard sauce, with maraschino cherry juice and a few chopped up cherries-and no booze. I made quite a bit of it, I see some cake-in-a mug in my future once we polish off the rest of the steamed pudding.

The pudding reheats well in a microwave (just don't cook it in the microwave) in a covered casserole dish. I'm more of a stodgy, breadcrumb based pudding fan, so I probably wouldn't want this again. The boys however, loved it. Go figure. For a steamed pudding it is surprisingly light. I cut the sugar by half of what the recipe called for, and it was still sweet. Adjust according to your tastes.

You Will Need:

1 large egg\1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons soft butter
2 ounces melted unsweetened chocolate
1 3/4 cups plain flour
 1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon bicarb
1 cup milk (I used 2%)

Grease a 1 quart pudding basin. Beat together the egg, sugar, butter, and chocolate. Sift together dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternating with milk.

Pour into pudding basin. Secure parchment paper over top with string. Place in steamer rack (or, a canning band makes a good stand if you don't have a proper steamer-a large pot will do so long as it covers the basin). Fill halfway up the basin with water, and steam gently for 2 hours.

Serve hot with cherry sauce

For the Cherry Sauce

4 tablespoons butter
1-2 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon chopped cherries
A few drops of juice from the cherry jar

Beat together adding more sugar or liquid as needed until nicely whipped. Chill before using. I won't tell if you sneak a spoonful when no one is looking-this stuff is too good to waste on pudding.