Sometimes, when the rain is lashing the windows and the family hunkers down for another evening stuck inside, you need something warm and comforting. Last night was just such a night. I managed to dig out one of my Grandmother’s old recipes for steamed pudding, and tweaked it to make it more interesting. Having just commemorated 1 year since her death, it was a lovely link to the past. I did include 3 beautiful stems of rhubarb from my garden and some healthful spices, but let’s not kid ourselves; this pudding is neither particularly healthy or an everyday food. I believe that in a balanced lifestyle, nourishment takes all forms.

Baked Rhubarb and Ginger Pudding:

100 grams butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 large cup flour (could be replaced with gluten-free flour)

1 large teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

3 stems rhubarb

3 tablespoons vanilla sugar or castor sugar

1/4 cup golden syrup, more or less to your liking

 

Melt the butter, then add the brown sugar, egg, flour, baking powder, vanilla essence and spices.

Chop the rhubarb into 5mm pieces and toss through the vanilla sugar. Stir through the pudding batter.

Grease a casserole dish and spread the golden syrup in a thin layer across the bottom. Pour the batter over the top and smooth out.

Bake at 180 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Make sure everyone gets a dollop of the golden syrup sauce from the bottom of the bowl, or you may have a mutiny on your hands.

For extra indulgence, serve with custard, ice cream or runny cream.