Christmas Pudding

After four years of Mitchell Hall cafeteria food at the Air Force Academy, McKay was thrilled to finally have home cooked meals from his little wifey.  He is so sweet and complimentary about my cooking, (even though I've had some pretty epic fails), that I love making him food.  Shortly after McKay and I were married, in fact during the very first part of our honeymoon, I asked McKay what meals I needed to learn to cook for him.  Without hesitation he said, "My Mom's Christmas Pudding!"  Ever since then he has talked about this pudding and how excited he was to eat it this Christmas.  To be honest, I don't think he even cared about presents as much as this pudding.  So, before this Christmas season I made sure to get my husband's fav recipe from my lovely and wonderful mother-in-law.  Joanna made it this year, so I lucked out of having to make it, but I'm so glad I was able to watch and learn for Christmas 2012.

  
The Christmas Pudding Happy Dance!

I would have to agree with McKay's face here - It really is that good!

In case any of you would like to try making this delectable treat here is the recipe, compliments of my mother-in-law:

Mom's Chocolate Christmas Pudding

Getting the Cans: Try for the biggest cans you can find (but not a giant #10, such as from the cannery). The cans must be all metal, unlike the Swiss Miss containers that are cardboard around the sides. I stroll through the grocery store looking for things like family size soups and such. A 27 oz. can of tomatoes, for instance may seem large, but it will take 2 or 3 cans to do this small batch. That is fine if you can fit all of the cans in your pot. Your cooking time may be cut down if you use the small cans. Check to see if the pudding is done by sticking a butter knife all the way down to the bottom of the can. If it comes out clean then it is done.

Small Batch:

1/3 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 egg
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. milk
1/2 c. baking cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla

• Grease cans. Pour 2/3 full of dough. Cover with foil. 

• Steam for appx. 1 1/2 hours - Start the water boiling and then add the cans of pudding. I usually start with about 4 inches of water or so. The small batch size can be put in a big pot with a lid on and steamed that way. Steam must be coming out of the pot all the time or it is not hot enough to cook the pudding, or you are out of water and your pan will burn.

Christmas Pudding Sauce

1/3 c. cornstarch
1/3 c. sugar
dash salt

• In a pot dissolve the above ingredients in 1 c. cold 2% milk
• Scald 2 c. 2% milk in microwave. Add to pot, stirring, and bring to a boil. Add:
• 1 1/2 c. light cream
• Bring to a boil again stirring constantly. This will burn easily so be careful.
• Add: 2 tsp. vanilla and remove from heat. Serve over steamed chocolate Christmas pudding or even frozen berries on their own.

The sauce is a bit tricky because it seems to turn out a different thickness each time I make it. Tonight I made the sauce and thought it was too thick so I thinned it down with some milk until it looked like the right consistency. It is a matter of opinion, however, as to how thick people like their sauce. Because it is made with cornstarch it becomes very stiff after being refrigerated. Therefore, I always thin it down with some milk after eating what we want before putting it in the fridge overnight. That way it won't stiffen up and I can pour some out and eat a bowl for breakfast the next day! McKay does that, too. We're bad.

For those with bigger families or just bigger chocolate appetites like McKay and I here are the larger batches.

Medium Batch:

2/3 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
4 c. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 c. milk
1 c. baking cocoa
2 tsp. vanilla

Large Batch:

1 c. butter
3 c. sugar
6 c. flour
4 Tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3 c. milk
1 1/2 c. cocoa
1 Tbsp. vanilla
(Warning: Do not make this batch unless you are serving a huge crowd! This batch requires a Bosch mixer to make up as it is so large. You will need a bonafide steamer for this quantity too.)

Christmas Pudding Sauce Doubled

1/2 c. cornstarch
2/3 c. sugar
dash salt
4 c. 2% milk, cold. Stir together in a pot.
Add: 3 c. light cream--boil again

Add 4 tsp. vanilla