Caramel Pudding

Caramel pudding is a continental dessert and also a much loved dish all over India, specially in the Western India....It can be steamed in a pressure cooker or baked in the oven.

Stating the recipe (serves 4) as done in a pressure cooker. Though I had to prepare quite a number of times before serving a perfect & set caramel pudding......

Ingredients:

• 500 ml full cream milk
• 5 tbsp sugar (ratio is 500 ml milk : 5 tbsp sugar : 3 eggs)
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• pinch of salt (optional)
• chocolate shavings, whipped cream (for garnishing)

Caramel coating

• 2 tsp sugar
• 2-3 tsp water

Procedure:

1. Take a bowl, add cornflour and 2 tbsp cold milk. Mix well to remove lumps.
2. Boiling milk: Put a pan, add milk and sugar. Bring to a boil by stirring continuously until all the sugar is dissolved.
3. Just when the milk starts to boil, simmer and add the cornflour-milk mixture, immediately stir and mix well.
4. Now alternatively increase the flame and simmer for few more mins, until the milk is thickened. Keep aside to cool.
5. Making the caramel coating: Heat sugar and water in the pudding mould till the sugar melts & caramelized to golden brown. Swirl to coat the sides of the mould. Keep aside to cool.
6. Eggs & milk mixture: Break the eggs separately, put in a blender, add vanilla essence and a pinch of salt and blend to form a smooth & frothy mixture. Check and ensure whether the milk is properly cooled (otherwise the whole mixture may curdle) and then add to the blender. Blend once again to a smooth milk and egg mixture.
7. Putting in the mould: Pour this mixture into the caramelized pudding mould (fill upto � of the mould)
8. Steaming: Take a pressure cooker, place a pressure cooker ring and pour water very carefully into the pressure cooker to ensure water is about 2" below the rim of the mould.
   Place the pudding mould on the ring and cover the mould (so that water do not enter into the pudding mould).
9. Cover the cooker and let the steam escape. When the steam starts to escape, check watch and steam for 15-20 mins. Check whether the pudding is ready or not (insert a fork / toothpick inside the pudding, if it comes out clean, pudding is done or else steam for another 10 mins)
10. After the requisite time, switch of gas, carefully remove the pudding mould so as not to disturb the pudding. Keep aside to cool and then chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
11. Serve: To serve, carefully run the edge of a knife around the border of the mould. Place a plate over the pudding mould, hold firmly in place and turn over gently.
12. The pudding will turn over onto the plate, caramel side up. Serve with caramel sauce, chocolate shavings or whipped cream.

I learnt this recipe from my mother-in-law who happens not only to be great cook but also and an encouraing person always in search of new recipes and experimenting on dishes to turn them to a new recipe.

This is going to Mom's Most Favourite Recipe Event by Shama of Easy2cook Recipes.

Also going to Celebrating Mother's Day, event hosted by Ivy of Kopiaste.. to Greek Hospitality.

Sending another pudding, steamed chocolate pudding to both the events.

Steamed Chocolate Pudding

Pudding is a class example of dessert. Puddings are basically classified into 2 types: 1) a boiled then chilled, texturally a custard set with starch and 2) a steamed / baked, texturally similar to cake.
I learned to make basic steamed pudding from my mom-in-law and then started doing various flavoured puddings.

Here is the recipe of steamed chocolate pudding, a steamed dessert consisting of milk, cocoa powder, sugar & eggs mixed together and steamed, very similar to the Christmas Pudding.

Ingredients:

• 500 ml milk (ratio is 500 ml milk = 60 gms of sugar)
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• whipped cream or chocolate curls / shavings, for garnishing

Procedure:

1. Mix cornflour with 2 tbsp of milk to form a paste. Keep aside.
2. Take a saucepan, add milk, cocoa powder and sugar and bring to boil. When the milk starts to come up, quickly add the cornflour-milk paste and mix well. (Ensure milk does not spill, control the flame).
3. Increase the flame, keep stirring till the milk gets a thicker consistency. Remove from flame and allow to cool.
4. Break the eggs and collect in a bowl. Add vanilla essence. Mix and beat well till the eggs form a frothy mixture (ensure that there are no lumps). Keep aside.
5. Check whether the milk is cooled or not. Gradually add the beaten eggs by stirring constantly. Mix till all the eggs are absorbed. (if the milk is hot / warm, the eggs will curdle).
6. Grease a round pudding mould with a little butter and pour the milk-egg mixture into the mould. Cover loosely with a foil and steam in a pressure cooker without whistle. When the steam starts to come out, check clock and steam for 20 minutes.
7. The pudding will shrink a little. Remove from the cooker and allow to cool. (Try not to disturb by shaking much).
8. Check whether the pudding is completely done by inserting a toothpick, if it comes out clean, pudding is ready, otherwise steam for another 10-15 mins or till the pudding is done.
9. Unmould the pudding and transfer in a serving plate and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until serving time.
10. Garnish with chocolate curls / whipped cream and serve chilled.

Tips:
You can substitute cocoa powder with 200 gms dark chocolate bars. Melt the dark chocolate and milk over gentle heat and mix well so that no lumps remain and then continue with the procedure stated above.

This is going to the "For the Love of Chocolate" event hosted by Poornima of Tasty Treats.

You can catch my other entries to the event by clicking here.