Steamed Date Pudding--A Christmas Surprise

Old-fashioned Date Pudding goes back to my childhood.  A plain steamed pudding studded with dates or raisins, smothered in mom's Nutmeg Sauce, was a eagerly eaten any time of the year.

When we were little girls my sister looked forward to the days Mom would make a steamed date pudding.  I didn't like dates in pudding and would eat around them.  Back then I'd rather have raisins in a pudding but my taste has changed from those many years ago around the old dining room table and today a steamed date pudding holds a place of high regard in my repertoire of dessert recipes.

Mom never got to make a pudding for my sister before she passed away.  They had plans for Mom to supervise and give Heather the directions on how to make the pudding but sadly it never happened.  So today I'm giving my sister a steamed Date Pudding for a Christmas surprise.  Every year at Christmas I send Heather and my niece Katherine a box of goodies which I send to them by special delivery by a friend or family member going their way.  Today when they go through the box they'll find a Date Pudding made with love from me.  I know it won't measure up to Mom's fine pudding but I hope it will bring back happy memories of a little family gathered at Christmas.

Printable recipe at the end of post.

Date (or Raisin) Pudding

• 3 teaspoons baking powder   
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 ½ cups flour
• ½ cup butter
• ¾ cup sugar     
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract
• 1 ¼ cups milk
• 1 cup chopped dates or 1 cup raisins

How to make it:
Remove 1 tablespoon flour from the amount in recipe and use to flour chopped dates or raisins.  Mix and sift dry ingredients together. Cream butter and sugar together.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients alternately to creamed mixture with the milk.  Fold in lightly floured chopped dates or raisins.  Turn into well greased pudding mold or heat resistant bowl.  Cover, and steam two hours.  Serve with Nutmeg or Brown Sugar Sauce.

Makes 1 large or 2 small puddings.

 Flour the dates with a tablespoon of the measured flour.

Cream the butter and sugar together.  No need for a mixer.  Add the egg and mix well. 

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk.

  

Add the floured dates.

Place pudding batter in a well greased heat-proof bowl, can or pudding mold. 

Wrap the containers in parchment paper and tie down.  I found elastic bands work really well.  

Place a trivet or jar rings in the pot and pour in 3 or 4 inches of water.

Wrap the containers in foil wrap and place in large pot of water.  Steam two or three hours.  Leave in the pot until the pudding is cool enough to remove without scalding your hands.

Here's one of the puddings steamed in a pineapple can.  

Serve slices warm with your favourite pudding sauce.

To print click on arrow upper right side.⇩