Steamed Chocolate Pudding
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Chocolate lovers, you’ve come to the right place! Here is something extra special. 18th century chocolate meets 17th century pudding. This decadent chocolate steamed pudding recipe celebrates the rich heritage of a beloved and traditional dessert originating in England in the 17th century and brought to colonial America!
It was my mom who introduced me to steamed puddings. It’s always been the tradition in my family for my mom to make a steamed pudding every year for Christmas and New Year’s (two different kinds and both equally amazing). She’s been making them since I was a little girl and it’s something we all look forward to every year.
Steamed puddings have been a long-held Christmas tradition in England since the 17th century and this tradition was continued by the early American settlers. The most common is plum or fig pudding, made in a special steamed pudding mold of various shapes and sizes. (Think lyrics from “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”: “Oh, bring us a figgy pudding, oh bring us a figgy pudding…”) If you’ve always wondered what on earth a “figgy pudding” is, now you know! The method for making it is similar to this chocolate pudding only the ingredients (including chopped figs) are different. Steamed puddings have traditionally been made using flour, breadcrumbs, or torn up pieces of bread.
Here is a very traditional Christmas pudding (aka, Figgy Pudding), often garnished with a sprig of holly. Traditionally pumped so full of brandy as a preservative, and for flavor, that the pudding would virtually last years! It is then lit on fire just before serving.
Despite their popularity for so many centuries, it’s unfortunate that, though common in the colonial days of our country, they are relatively unknown today. Yet another tradition that’s sadly been lost. I have yet to meet someone here outside my own family who has ever tried one, and most people have never heard even of them. The only “pudding” widely known today is the custard/mousse kind. So I developed this recipe in celebration of a rich heritage of steamed puddings and at the time I developed it, back in 2013, I partnered with American Heritage chocolate to make this pudding, which is what you see in the pictures.
Whatever brand of chocolate you go with be sure to select a good one. One that you enjoy enjoy eating out of the box. You’ll be well rewarded.
Steamed Chocolate Pudding Recipe
Let’s get started!
It’s going to take a long time for the water to heat to a boil, so start heating it now in a large stock pot.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and stir in the American Heritage Chocolate Drink powder (or regular any other good quality cocoa powder).
Cream the butter and sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, vanilla and rum extracts and beat until thoroughly combined.
Alternately stir in the flour and the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.
Pour the melted chocolate into the pudding batter.
Ooooh, look at those luscious chocolatey swirls….
Now it’s time to put the batter in the pudding mold. (I know, that’s all there’s to it! So easy, right?)
You’ll need a steamed pudding mold for this recipe. I use a pudding mold that I bought in Germany before I moved to the U.S. It holds about 1 1/2 quarts (whatever you get doesn’t have to be exact). It’s aluminum, which is preferable when it comes to anything baking-related, including this steamed pudding. Take good care of it and it will last you forever. (And I’m going to be posting more fabulous steamed pudding recipes, so you’ll make good use of it!)
Generously butter the pudding mold. Spoon the batter into the mold. Secure the lid.
Get out a large stock pot and fill it with enough water so that it comes up to just over halfway to the pudding mold. You must avoid letting the pudding mold touch the bottom of the pot and you need to ensure the mold is standing up straight the whole time it’s boiling, otherwise you’ll end up with a lop-sided pudding (it’ll still taste just as good though!) You can either crumple up aluminum foil and set the pudding mold on top of that or, what I usually do, fold a dish towel and place it on the bottom of the pot (it’s better at keeping the mold standing straight). Bring the water to a boil, place the pudding mold inside, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
Carefully remove the pudding mold from the pot and let it sit unopened for 5 minutes (I know you’re anxious to peek, but just hold on.) During that 5 minute wait prepare the chocolate glaze by combining the ingredients in a small pan, bringing it to a boil, reducing the heat to medium and simmering for 5 minutes.
Okay, you can open it now. Hello, gorgeous!
Invert the pudding onto a wire rack placed over a cookie sheet.
While the pudding is still warm, brush the glaze all over the pudding, then carefully transfer it to a serving plate.
Doesn’t this remind you of something out of Little Women or Anne of Green Gables (an all-time favorite)?
Steamed puddings are best served warm (reheat the pudding by pudding it back in the mold in boiling water for a few minutes – this will help it retain its moistness). Serve with your choice of whipped cream, hot fudge sauce, or even ice cream.
Enjoy!
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Steamed Chocolate Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar , packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 4 ounces quality chocolate , I'm using 62% cocao), cut into chunks
- For the Chocolate Glaze:
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup water
Instructions
- Fill a large stock pot with enough water to cover the pudding mold just past the halfway point. Start bringing it to a boil now.Generously butter a steamed pudding mold
- In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the chocolate powder.In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar for several minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla and rum extracts and beat until thoroughly combined. Alternately stir in the flour mixture and the milk, beginning and ending with the flour.Melt the chocolate bar chunks (either in a double boiler or microwave). Pour the melted chocolate into the batter and stir to combine.Spoon the batter into the prepared pudding mold and secure the lid.
- Place a dishtowel that's been folded several times in the bottom of the stock pot, positioning it with a long spoon if necessary. You must avoid letting the pudding mold touch the bottom of the pot and ensure that it remains standing straight throughout the steaming process. Do not let any water get into the mold.Place the pudding mold on top of the folded towel, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.Remove the pudding mold from the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the glaze.
- To make the glaze, combine the three ingredients in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.Invert the pudding onto a wire rack positioned over a cookie sheet. While the pudding is still warm, brush the chocolate glaze all over then carefully transfer to a serving plate.Serve warm with whipped cream, hot fudge sauce, or ice cream.To reheat, place the pudding back in the mold, cover, and boil again for a few minutes until heated.
Notes
Originally published on Daring Gourmet December 12, 2013
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
Hi Kimberly, I recently picked up a vintage 1950’s Dr. Oetker pudding mold similar to yours on Etsy and I’m looking forward to trying out all these delicious looking puddings!
That sounds like a great acquisition, Susan, congrats and I hope you enjoy the puddings!
Hi I was just wondering if it was possible to wrap store this pudding like the fruit one and how this could be done if anyone could help me please. I would love to make ahead of time as presents thanks heaps Joann
Hi Joann, if you wrap it tightly in a couple of layers of plastic wrap it will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge. You can also freeze it for longer storage. I generally reheat it in the microwave – just however many slices you need because reheating more than once will impact the texture.
I love pudding ! ,
We make a simple hard sauce w/confectioner’s sugar and butter. I have Balinese vanilla beans and can choose either bourbon or brandy for our tastes. Mine is rather thick but my mom always served it w/her family recipe.
That sounds lovely, thanks for sharing!
Okay that’s good to know :) Pudding came out great!
That’s wonderful, Twig, so happy to hear it – thank you!
Hi Kimberly, at this moment this pudding is steaming :) I’m from Holland and not familiar with steamed puddings, but really wanted to gif it a try when I came across this recipe. I had one problem however. When I placed the mold in the pan with water, the mold floated in the pan and I had to put a heavy pot on it before I could cover it with the lid, and it was quite difficult to find something in the right size and weight. Have you come across this problem? Is there any way I can avoid this?
Greetings Twig
Hi Twig, you’re not alone. That’s pretty common and it’s just about finding a way to keep it weighed down so that the pudding cooks evenly.
This sounds like a lovely recipe. I will try it in a silicone mold.
No offense, but you might want to read up on the health affects of cooking with aluminum since you seem to care about healthy eating.
Hi Jacqueline, thank you. This pudding is steamed so I’m not sure you can use a silicone mold for this – unless there are some on the market that can be used for steaming. Regarding aluminum, using it for baking is different than cooking, the main concern being cooking with highly acidic foods like tomatoes. Nevertheless, there are a lot of claims about the adverse affects aluminum based on poorly conducted and conflicting research that simply haven’t been substantiated. This is from the official Alzheimer’s website: “During the 1960s and 1970s, aluminum emerged as a possible suspect in Alzheimer’s. This suspicion led to concern about exposure to aluminum through everyday sources such as pots and pans, beverage cans, antacids and antiperspirants. Since then, studies have failed to confirm any role for aluminum in causing Alzheimer’s. Experts today focus on other areas of research, and few believe that everyday sources of aluminum pose any threat.” Even so, I personally avoid it entirely for cooking and only use it for baking.
My mother has been gone since 2008, but she used to make chocolate steamed pudding, and I recall it being delicious, and it was a favorite, well loved dessert in our family, handed down from those who came before, originally over from England to settle in Massachusetts, via the Mayflower. Chocolate Steamed Pudding and Indian Pudding aka Hasty pudding were favorites of mine growing up. I never tried to make it, as I no longer have the recipe she had. But out of curiosity I decided to try and find one online I thought I could tackle. I plan to experiment with yours, and ‘tweek’ the recipe using the some of commenters ideas. UNLESS of course you could tell me how I might get my hands on the American Heritage products. I live in Florida, and I don’t believe I have ever seen them down here.
Hi Traci! Oh, that’s too bad you no longer have that treasured recipe, what a rich heritage it had. For the chocolate you can either order it online from their website or simply use any good dark chocolate of your choice. It’s going to turn out scrumptious regardless. Happy steaming!
I gave you the links for the cookbook and the recipe. Where’s they go? You didn’t download them? I might try your recipe but the original is tried and true and has stood the test of time. I would substitute 72% cocoa solids Trader Joe’s chocolate and REAL rum, never ‘rum extract’, whatever that is. LOL
You may have ‘developed’ this extravagant version of this pudding but it is not new. It has been around since at least 1934 from the Hershey’s 1934 Cookbook as Steamed Chocolate Pudding. My grandmother from that era made it for us as kids and served it with vanilla ice cream.
Paco, I don’t have a copy of the 1934 cookbook, but yes I’m sure steamed chocolate pudding has been made many times over before – this is my recipe version. Give it a try and I’m sure you’ll love it.
I use a small mixing bowl for a mold. After buttering it generously, I place a circle of baking parchment in the bottom, and butter it. Then I sprinkle the bottom and sides of the bowl with sugar. Now my puddings come out easily. Parchment really makes a difference.
Our family has been making and enjoying a chocolate steamed pudding every year for Christmas dinner for 45 years! I found a recipe in the Betty Crocker cookbook, when I was a kid and asked if we could try it; now my kids love it so much I have to double the recipe. We have ours with a white creamy sauce on top that really sets it off.
That’s a wonderful tradition, Kim, thanks for sharing!
My grandmother always made steamed pudding for Christmas. She always topped it with a hard creamy topping that melted into the warm pudding. Thank you for this!
You are very welcome, Pam! Dishes that bring back memories of loved ones are always special. That’s neat that your grandmother had a tradition of making steamed pudding every Christmas.
Oh my! That looks decadent! Beautiful.
Thanks so much, Mary! I love steamed puddings. I’ll be making a plum pudding for Christmas and another kind for New Year’s. They’re fun to make and taste so good!
This sounds yummy! I’ve had plum pudding before, but it was always from a can. In my mother’s defense, though, she always made her own hard sauce, which would also be good with this pudding…
I recall seeing canned puddings in England but I don’t know that I’ve seen them here before. I haven’t ever looked though. I guess they probably come out during the holiday season. And yes, a good homemade hard sauce can dress up even a humble canned pudding quite nicely.
I love a good steamed pudding. We have one every year that my mom makes. Would love to try this one.
Hi Robin! That’s always been a tradition in my family as well. My mom always makes a pudding for Christmas and then another one for New Year’s (two different kinds). I always look forward to them every year.