In many homes a traditional Christmas dinner will conclude with a bounty of dessert items — pumpkin pie, mincemeat pie, slices of Christmas cake.
Bu the most popular dessert item, served once a year, will likely be a dish of Grandma’s famous Christmas pudding, served with the family’s favourite sauce or dip.
This week’s recipes, from friends and family, include some ideas for the sweetness that will top a fruit pudding, a carrot pudding or even a steamed raisin pudding, all made several weeks ago and stored carefully so the flavours meld.
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Grandma’s Pudding Sauce
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. vanilla extract
In a heavy saucepan over medium low heat, brown the white sugar until it is carmellized. Be careful it doesn’t burn.
Add the hot water but be careful as it will flare up and harden the sugar. Stir the water continuously over the browned sugar until it dissolves.
Dissolve cornstarch in a small amount of cold water and add to the sugar syrup. Add vanilla. Stir until sauce begins to thicken and turn a clear brown.
It may be necessary to add a bit more starch if sauce doesn’t thicken after several minutes.
Once thicken slightly, turn burner to lowest temperature and keep hot until serving time. Pour generous amount over dishes of pudding. Note: syrup will stay warm if transferred into a small crockpot.
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Rum Pudding Sauce
1 cup butter
4 cups brown sugar
4 cups boiling water
5 tbsps. cornstarch
1/2 cup cold water
2 cups whipping cream
5 tbsps. rum
Melt butter and add brown sugar. Stir continuously until caramelized. Add boiling water, a bit at a time and stir.
Mix cornstarch and cold water and add to mixture. Bring to a boil to thicken. Add rum, stir and remove from heat. Stir in whipping cream until well mixed.
Transfer to a slow cooker set on low and keep warm until ready to use.
Recipe may be halved for smaller amounts of pudding. Sauce may also be used over ice cream, added to banana smoothies or mixed with fresh strawberries and served over ice cream or angel food cake. Sauce may be stored two-three days in refrigerator.
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Chocolate Sauce For Angel Cake
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup cocoa
Mix sugar, water and cocoa and boil for three minutes. Add vanilla and stir. Remove from heat and transfer to a mini slow cooker to keep warm. Top angel food with ice cream, strawberries and then chocolate sauce. Store leftovers in refrigerator. May be used to make chocolate milk by adding a tablespoon of sauce to a glass of white milk. Stir to mix.
Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
