Steamed Cranberry Pudding Adapted From Gourmets Best Desserts Recipes

MARTHA STEWART'S CRANBERRY STEAMED PUDDING

Steps:

• Steam your pudding in a deep pot with a tight-fitting lid, so that the steam has room to circulate.
• Keep a kettle of hot water on hand to refill the pot if necessary.
• Do not allow the pudding to cool much longer than fifteen minutes, or you may have trouble removing it from the mold.
• Generously butter a 7 1/2-cup steam-pudding mold, and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, 1/4 cup kirsch, and cinnamon stick.
• Set over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cranberries break down and mixture thickens.
• Remove from heat, discard cinnamon stick, and cool.
• Evenly spread 1/2 cup of the cooled cranberry mixture onto the bottom of the pudding mold, and set aside.
• Meanwhile, prepare the hot-water bath: Fill a large, 11-by-5 1/4-inch pot one-third full with water.
• Set over high heat, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to low, cover, and keep at a simmer until pudding is ready to cook.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy, about four minutes.
• Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, mixing until completely blended.
• In three additions, alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the egg mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and blending well after each addition.
• Add dried cranberries and the remaining cranberry mixture to the batter, and mix until well blended.
• Pour batter into pudding mold to within 1/2 an inch of the top, and cover mold tightly with its lid (if the mold doesn't have a lid, cover with a round of parchment paper and then aluminum foil, and secure with a rubber band).
• Submerge a folded dish towel or a round sack onto the bottom of the large water-bath pot.
• Place the pudding mold into the water bath, resting on the towel, so that the water comes halfway up the sides of the mold.
• Cover the water bath, and gently simmer the pudding for about 2 hours and 20 minutes, or until pudding has set and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Remove pudding mold from the water bath and cool 15 minutes on a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, pour cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons kirsch and sifted confectioners’ sugar.
• Whip on high speed until stiff peaks form, about 45 seconds to 1 minute.
• Unmold pudding onto a serving platter.
• Serve with kirsch-flavored whipped cream.

STEAMED CRANBERRY PUDDING

Steps:

• Dissolve the baking soda in the hot water. Stir in 1 tablespoon of sugar and molasses, then mix in the cranberries and flour. Pour into a greased 6 cup steamer mold.
• Cover the mold, and place into a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover the steaming pot. Cook over medium heat for one hour before checking, but it will take about 1 1/2 hours total. A toothpick inserted into the pudding should come out clean. Loosen the edges, and cool on a wire rack in the mold.
• Make the hard sauce just before serving: Heat the unsalted butter, cream, 1 cup sugar and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook stirring constantly until heated through and smooth.

STEAMED CRANBERRY PUDDING WITH BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• To prepare pudding, butter a 6-cup soufflé dish. Set aside a large pot with a lid that will hold a water bath.
• 2. Place cranberries in a medium saucepan. Cover with water. Cover and cook over medium heat until cranberries begin to burst and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• 3. Beat together egg, sugar and molasses. Combine baking soda and 1/3 cup hot water; stir well. Add to egg mixture. Combine salt and flour; add to egg mixture. Do not overmix. Stir in cranberries.
• 4. Pour batter into prepared soufflé dish. Cover with foil. Place dish in the large pot. Add several inches of water. Cover pot and bring water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 70 to 90 minutes, until firm. Unmold onto a serving platter.
• 5. To prepare sauce, combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over low heat until thickened, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place warm sauce in a bowl or pitcher to pass with the pudding.

STEAMED CRANBERRY PUDDING

Steps:

• Butter a 2-quart steamed pudding mold and line it with wax paper and then butter and flour the paper. In a food processor coarsely chop cranberries. Transfer to a bowl and add almonds, sugar, flour, orange zest, ginger, cinnamon and allspice and combine. In another bowl mix bread crumbs, melted butter, milk, eggs, baking powder, sugar and salt. Combine the bread crumb mixture with the cranberry mixture.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared mold, a little at a time, tapping the mold as it is filled to eliminate any air bubbles. Cover the mold tightly with a lid and tie with a towel wrung out in cold water and floured. Tie a knot at the top of the towel to facilitate removal of the mold from the kettle.
• Set a rack in the bottom of a kettle and add enough simmering water to reach 3 inches up the sides of the mold. Transfer the mold to the kettle. Keep the water at a brisk but not a rolling boil on the stove top. Cover the kettle with a lid.
• Steam the pudding for 2 hours, checking occasionally to make certain the water remains at a boil, adding more water throughout the cooking process as necessary.
• To test for doneness, insert a skewer in the center of the pudding. It should come out with crumbs adhering to it. Return the lid to the mold and transfer it to a rack. The pudding will stay warm in the mold, covered, for several hours.
• To make the glaze combine cranberry juice, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Simmer the juice, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a boil and swirl gently until a candy thermometer reads 250 degrees. Add whole cranberries and remove the pan from the heat.
• Let the glaze cool and then chill it, covered, until ready to serve. To serve, unmold the pudding onto a serving plate and pour the cranberry glaze over it.

NANNY'S STEAMED CRANBERRY PUDDING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, baking soda, 1 cup of white sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in the milk, egg, and butter until well blended. Toss the cranberries in the remaining 1/4 cup of flour to coat, then fold them into the batter.
• Pour the batter into a greased round casserole dish with a lid, place the lid on, and then cover again with aluminum foil. Place the dish into a large roaster or stock pot, and fill with 3 to 4 inches of water. Place the lid on the outer pot, and cover with aluminum foil. Turn the heat to medium-high, and steam for 2 hours. Add more water if necessary after the first hour.
• For the sauce, mix together 1/2 cup of white sugar, brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir occasionally until the mixture comes to a full boil. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Refrigerate until chilled, then beat with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Serve slices of the steamed pudding with the brown sugar sauce, and a dollop of whipped cream.