Pouding chomeur (unemployment pudding)

Originating in Quebec in The Great Depression, this economical pudding was once made just with sugar, water and flour. Modern versions have moved away from the cheap and cheerful beginnings and are now made with huge amounts of cream and maple syrup. This version goes a little way back to its origins, but still uses a bit of butter and milk to help it along.

• serves

  8

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 450 g (3 cups) plain flour
• 125 g cold unsalted butter, chopped
• 115 g (½ cup) caster sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 450 ml milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Thick cream or vanilla ice cream, to serve

Brown sugar syrup 

• 400 g soft brown sugar
• 25 g unsalted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Standing time: 40 minutes

Instructions

1. For the brown sugar syrup, combine the sugar and 375 ml (1½ cups) water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Simmer for about 3 minutes or until thickened to a light syrup. Stir through the butter and vanilla, then remove from the heat and set aside.
   
   
2. For the pudding, place the flour and butter in a large bowl and use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour to form coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the centre, then pour in the milk and vanilla and gently stir to form a lumpy batter.
   
   
3. Preheat the oven to 190˚C. Lightly grease a 24 cm round ceramic baking dish(or similar with a capacity of about 2½ litres).
   
   
4. Place the batter in the base of the greased dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Pour the cooled syrup over the batter and bake for 30 minutes or until golden and a skewer withdraws clean. Stand for 10 minutes, then serve with cream or ice-cream.

 

Photography by Danielle Abou Karam.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Cheap and Cheerful

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

G