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!

 Originally published on Daring Gourmet December 12, 2013