Carrot Pudding with a Brown Sugar Sauce

 

This is a very old recipe which I have had in my files for a very long time.  It is a recipe which was given to me by my mother in law back in the early 1970's and Lord knows how long she had it kicking around!   It's a very thrifty pudding which makes great use of things most of us, if not all of us, have in our larders at any given time.

 

It's very similar to a suet pudding, but there is no suet involved.  This pudding uses good old butter!  Mmmm . . . adds to the richness.   There are carrots involved, of couse . . . Carrot pudding duh . . .
It is really moist, with the carrots and believe it or not grated potato.   Additional moistness comes from the use of Brown sugar . . . brown sugar always adds moistness.

 

The original recipe had no spice in it . . . I added these . . . sweet cinnamon, fiery ginger . . . baking spices . . . ground cloves, nutmeg and cardamom.  Warm baking spices . . .delicious.
Think of this as carrot cake . . . but stodgier . . . steamed and not baked . . . it is a pudding that was often on the holiday menu and sometimes just for just for . . .



The brown sugar sauce is typically what I serve with it . . . but a bit of clotted cream would never go amiss . . . or custard sauce . . . vanilla ice cream . . . pouring cream.  All are equally as good.

 

Best thing about it is that it's easy . . . and it's delicious . . . economical . . . and you can basically just leave it to cook itself without heating up the oven or having to keep an eye on it . . . it's steamed and as long as you keep the water in the bottom of the steamer topped up you will be fine.



I cook it in a pudding basin but a heat proof bowl also works very well.  You could even do individual ones, but of course in that case the steaming time would be greatly reduced.  I would check them for done-ness at 40 minutes.

 

I do hope that you will give this delicious pudding a try.   I have never known anyone to turn their nose up at it and most people come back for seconds.  Leftovers reheat very easily as well.

 

*Carrot Pudding with a Brown Sugar Sauce*
Serves 8 to 10 people
Printable Recipe

Old fashioned, economical, easy and delicious!

7.5 ounces soft light brown sugar (1 cup packed)
4 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cup)
2 large free range eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 1/2 ounces plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp each of cloves, nutmeg and ground cardamom
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated (1 cup)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and grated, squeezed dry ( 1 cup.  Squeeze all the water out and discard before measuring.)
6 ounces of sultana raisins (1 cup)

For the Brown Sugar Sauce:
3.75 ounces of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup)
2 ounces butter (1/4 cup)
2 TBS golden syrup ( can use corn syrup)
125ml of double ( heavy or whipping) cream (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Have ready a pot of simmering water, fitted with a steaming basket and a lid.  Butter a large pudding basin and set aside.

Cream together the brown sugar and butter.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla.  Sift together the flour, soda, salt and spices.  Stir this into the creamed mixture.  Fold in the carrots, potatoes, and raisins.  Spoon the pudding into the prepared pudding basin.  Take a large sheet of foil.  Butter it well and make a pleat in the centre.  Fit this over the top of the pudding basin, leaving room for expansion.  Secure with a rubber band or some twine and make air tight.

Place this into the steamer basket over the boiled and simmering water.  Cover tightly with a lid.  Steam for 3 hours, checking periodically to make sure that the water doesn't run dry.   Add more boiling water carefully as needed.

Remove the steamer basket.  Remove the foil carefully.  There will be steam.  Carefully slide a knife around the inside edge of the bowl to loosen.  Invert a serving plate over top and then carefully tip out the finished pudding.  Serve warm, cut into wedges along with the brown sugar sauce, custard, cream or ice cream.

To make the brown sugar sauce, place all of the ingredients into a small saucepan.  Bring to the boil, then simmer, stirring occasionally to help prevent it from catching, over a very low heat for about five minutes.

Note:  Any leftovers can be reheated by placing into a steamer basket and steaming over simmering water until heated through, or covered and heated for about 40 seconds in the microwave.

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