A Tale of Two Puds
Sweet, sticky, warming, rib-sticking, comforting nursery food of my childhood day dreams. Yes, I’m talking about steamed pudding. How could I be meaning anything else? As a wee tot my nan would make steamed golden syrup puddings as a rare treat (pudding was not a regular feature in the Baby Blogs Household) and I would sit in one of our burgundy leather armchairs with a bowl (usually my Peter Rabbit one) and spoon in sweet mouthfuls in slowly, to savour every last mouthful. I’m sure I’ve never ate a steamed pud with a single other thought in my head, save the one that I’m sure this is the most perfect form of pudding that has ever graced English homes across the land. However, that was back in my pre-18 years when I was training very hard at ballet training everyday and was going the gym for someone like 10 hours a week – these days, though my love of the pud has not diminished, my ability to burn it off has dulled somewhat! So imagine the tears of joy when I discovered a “healthy” steamed pudding and one which, I promise, tastes every mouthful naughty and unctuous, not one bit virtuous and self righteous! This was that very pud…
This towering, orange bejewelled offering is that very pud and comes to you from a rather contentious book in that it divides opinion to those willing to try anything once and those a bit terrified of what they behold in the ingredients list. I could be talking of none other than Red Velvet & Chocolate Heartache by Harry Eastwood. Harry is a hopeless romantic and clearly a bit of a daydreamer (anyone who knows me will realise I consider her somewhat of a kindred spirit of mine!) who adores cake and wanted to find a way to get it into her life in the healthiest way she could imagine. So she reduced the sugar, swapped plain for rice flour and most controversial of all, she swapped butter for …. vegetables. Oh yes she did! And I can’t get enough of her, this book and the wondrous cakes and bakes that come from its fairytale-like illustrated pages. Now I may have written down the wrong veg for this particular pudding so I used grated parsnip rather than turnip (I mustn’t be the only Northerner whom uses these two names synonymously?!) but I truly, madly, deeply promise you do not taste “parsnip”, you taste a moist, unctuous, orange perfumed and muskily cardamom studded pudding fit for angels to guzzle on not-so-much reinforced clouds! Based on the success of this pud (only 220 calories a portion) I created my own version – a stem ginger pud which you can bake or steam, using butternut squash in place of butter! Let’s begin with a rhapsody of orange…
Lemon zest tempers the sweet and is essential in ginger puddings to me. As for the stem ginger – look at that almost glass-like, almost jelly-like consistency with a haunting ochre glow. Big love to the humble ginger root!
I like to add in ground ginger which brings warming spice and heat – you could use a tablespoon if you’re a ginger addict like me. I’ve not stipulated so much in the recipe to follow – perhaps you’d like to add in other spices and that’s more than fine by me 
As there is no butter to cream in this recipe, you whisk up the eggs and sugar to make a mousse to which you fold in the remaining ingredients before pouring into your pudding basin which has been buttered, drizzled with the syrup from your stem ginger jar and encrusted with some of the latter finely chopped to help with that sticky “jammy” layer on the top of your pud.
Now here is where I get even more renegade – having bought a rice cooker pot which can go in the oven from my friend’s Jamie At Home party, I decided to make my pud in it for its maiden voyage. It worked a treat so I have included the method in my recipe but also, I’ve included the method for making a steamed version as this undoubtedly makes a moister, lighter version although this baked one is almost indistinguishable from its more traditional counterpart. Here is the proof.
A flaming sunset of a pud, just look at that colour! The butternut has offered up all it’s orangeness long with the baking process concentrating the ginger syrup into this almost day glow dessert. Let’s see inside too…
Moist through and through – both the vegetable quotient and the ground almonds provide the luscious texture you see before you. Honestly, look beyond the apparent “weirdness” of this recipe and just give it a try, I promise you won’t be disappointed. Harry challenges how we think about the sweet treats in our life and has researched each and every item and made sure it’s as good as can be before publishing her book (which I adore, had you not already noticed that!) and if I can convert just one reader with this post, I’ll be one happy bunny boo. Time for one last shot before you can get your hands on Harry’s orange pud and my ginger one – for what is a steamed pud without a river of custard (Bird’s Custard Powder custard, for full nostalgic effect) surrounding its golden peaks
Fancy a little orange and cardamom pudding? Click here – Steamed Orange and Cardamom Pudding
Fancy a little stem ginger pud in your life? Then click here – Stem Ginger Pudding
That top pudding is literally incredible, so pretty!
oh Jo they look delish! I adore steamed puds, they are a big part of my childhood
I don’t know which one to try first..they both look so good! Loving the fact these recipes are healthy versions..guilt free! 
Thank you Frugal. I think it just *might* be my favourite pudding ever – bold claim but it’s hard to see any other contenders…
Totally
I can’t tell you the calorie content for my pud but it can’t be much if any more than the orange one. I reckon they would both work beautifully in individual moulds – that’s my next job with these, once I’ve got through the 10 spare slices in my freezer 
They look scrumptious Jodie. YUM. I remember having steamed puds a lot when I was little, my mum can get one bubbling away without consulting a recipe – seriously! I have often made Nigella’s golden syrup one in HTBADG, which is gorgeous but doesn’t have anything remotely healthy in it, like parsnips…..
It’s a leap of faith Pam, I know it is but once you jump, you can’t go back! I’ve served these to many unsuspecting folk so far who remained unsuspecting, not one could name the veg I used, nor could they pick up on the lack of butter. Genius that Eastwood lass is, sheer genius
Ah! I just came across a caramel apple steamed pudding (admittedly less healthy…), and I was like, “What on earth is a steamed pudding?” Sad, I know, but I’ve since learned! I really want to make it now. Anything else you can use besides a pudding mold? I heard a large bowl works?
Well that sounds a wonderful pud – caramel is my favourite flavour in desserts in the whole wide world! As for using something else to steam it in – well the easy answer is yes however, whatever you pick, it must be heatproof. I have a large (like 10 cup) measuring jug from the Pampered Chef (not sure if there sell in the US?) that you can bake in as it’s heatproof upto 200 degrees C. Over here, plastic pudding basins are super cheap – perhaps do an online search for local retailers?
Oh I bet there’s bunches if I took the time to look, just wondering about what else one can use. I also have a measuring jug, but I believe it’s Pyrex, not Pampered Chef. Should do the job though! So you just use a big honkin’ pot full of water to fit it in?
Yes you need a pot that accommodates the size of your “basin”, whatever it may be! You need the water to come up about 1-2 inches below the top and keep it just simmering away merrily as it bakes. Another way of getting your steamed pud fix is to use dariole moulds (very well buttered first) and make individual ones which are much much quicker to cook. I’ve done the orange one like this with great success
. With the little ones, you could use a bamboo steamer if you have one big enough and that works just as well. You’ve got to try a steamed pudding Ellen, the texture is quite unique in a really good way and it’s so comforting – a hug in the form of a pud!
Wow Jo, your steamed pud looks lovely – reminds me of the ones my Mum used to make merrily steaming on the cooker for seemingly hours on end – but the result mmmmm I can taste it now!! Brilliant
Thank you Jayne! Steamed puds are the stuff of memory for sure
Give it a try, a healthy version of a childhood favourite surely is worth a go? 
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