Steamed Cranberry Pudding
One Christmas, my husband—a Navy chaplain for 20 years—had to spend the holiday overseas, away from our two children and me. He asked that I send him this recipe so he could have a taste of home. Steamed Cranberry Pudding has been in my file for more than 30 years. It was passed on by a fellow teacher who was retiring. Her family had long enjoyed it, using their own homemade sorghum molasses as a special ingredient. Chuck and I now live in a log home in a wooded area. We're visited regularly by armadillos, raccoons, wild pigs, deer, bobcats and other creatures. We enjoy watching them—but they make it difficult to establish a compost pile!
One Christmas, my husband—a Navy chaplain for 20 years—had to spend the holiday overseas, away from our two children and me. He asked that I send him this recipe so he could have a taste of home. Steamed Cranberry Pudding has been in my file for more than 30 years. It was passed on by a fellow teacher who was retiring. Her family had long enjoyed it, using their own homemade sorghum molasses as a special ingredient. Chuck and I now live in a log home in a wooded area. We're visited regularly by armadillos, raccoons, wild pigs, deer, bobcats and other creatures. We enjoy watching them—but they make it difficult to establish a compost pile!
- Carbohydrate 42.5264061107866 g
- Cholesterol 230.754166666667 mg
- Fat 84.4867122222221 g
- Fiber 2.53388886876581 g
- Protein 4.44918944444352 g
- Saturated Fat 53.2476294444444 g
- Serving Size 1 1 - (246g)
- Sodium 10311.3878045132 mg
- Sugar 39.9925172420208 g
- Trans Fat 5.86916811111114 g
- Calories 932 calories
Step-by-step
- In a bowl, combine pudding ingredients.
- Pour into a well-greased 4-cup pudding mold.
- Place in a Dutch oven on a rack.
- Fill pan with boiling water to 1-in. depth; cover and boil gently.
- Replace water as needed.
- Steam for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let stand for 5 minutes before removing from mold.
- Meanwhile, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a saucepan.
- Add cream and butter.
- Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture begins to boil.
- Boil for 1 minute.
- Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.
- Serve sauce over warm pudding.
Unlike a baked sponge cake that relies on oven heat and rising agents to dry out its crumb, a steamed pudding requires moisture saturation and a sealed environment to develop its characteristic dense texture. Baking relies on circulating dry heat, whereas steaming uses convective moisture transfer capped at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. This method traps internal steam, preventing the exterior from forming a crust before the interior sets. Dropping batter into a dry mold guarantees a structural failure upon release. Greasing the four-cup vessel thoroughly with solid fat and dusting it with flour provides the necessary release barrier against sticky molasses sugars.
Achieving the correct thermal transfer depends entirely on water depth inside the Dutch oven. Boiling water must reach a consistent one-inch depth on the rack, vaporizing steadily without submerging the mold base. Covering the pot tightly maintains the ambient steam chamber required for the one-hour cooking duration. Removing the lid repeatedly drops the internal temperature, which halts the rise and creates a gummy, collapsed center. Replenishing evaporated water strictly with boiling liquid prevents thermal shock to the cooking vessel.
Baking soda reacts directly with the acidic components in light molasses to produce carbon dioxide micro-bubbles. These trapped gases expand inside the flour matrix during the steaming window. Overmixing the batter releases this gas prematurely, yielding a heavy, leaden puck instead of a spongy interior. Folding the fresh or frozen cranberries in gently preserves their structural integrity so they burst locally rather than bleeding entirely into the surrounding crumb.
Drenching the warm portion in rich dairy sauce balances the tartness of the whole fruit pockets. Pouring the heated cream and butter mixture over the sliced dessert adds vital moisture to a structure that cools rapidly on the plate.
