Carrot Pudding

The Pudding I Remember Most

As I mentioned in this post, and that post, Grandma loved steamed puddings, and she had a plethora of recipes for them in her box. After a while, the recipes all started looking alike, though, and I wondered if I really needed to test them all. I mentioned my doubts to my sister, who said, "Grandma is probably looking down on you and saying, 'Alison, what are you doing? Don't you know I've already tested all these recipes?'" 

My sister might be right--I don't know. But there's one thing I do know, and that's that Grandma tested this recipe thoroughly. All you have to do is look at all its stains and blotches to know this was one of her most made puddings. 

Also, look at the words at the top of the card: my own. This was one of Grandma's signature dishes, and one I remember well. Grandma would usually make four times the batch, which yielded seven jars. Whenever the mood struck, we would pull one out of the freezer and let it simmer in hot water for an hour or so to warm it up. It tasted as good as it did the day she made it. 

So, why did I need to test this recipe? I didn't. But I believed it deserved to be passed on. I also needed pictures for the cookbook I plan to compile. So, here it is, without any tweaks or changes: Grandma's Carrot Pudding.

How to Make Carrot Pudding

The process was the same as for the other Christmas Puddings I've tested: this one, this one, and this one. However, I wasn't sure if Grandma ever made this exact pudding for Christmas because it didn't have any candied peel. I would eat it for Christmas if it were up to me. And guess what? It is!

I didn't have any helpers this time, so I took all the steps myself, and it actually came together quite fast. First, I ground the dates and raisins. (Not an affiliate link. A food processor would also work.) I put some of the bread crumbs in the grinder at the end to help push the sticky stuff through. 

Next, I grated the apple, using the large holes on the barrel of my grater. (Not an affiliate link.) I then grated the carrots using the smallest holes. 

With the grinding and grating complete, it was time to start on the base of the pudding. I beat the butter (Grandma's recipe said margarine) and sugar together.  

I then added the egg and beat the mixture well. 

At that point, I realized that I hadn't started with a big enough bowl. So I scraped the mixture I'd just created into a larger bowl, along with the apples, carrots, and ground dried fruit, to which I'd added all the breadcrumbs to help break the fruit up. I used my Danish whisk to begin the stirring process. (Not an affiliate link.)

I whisked together the flour, spices, leavening, and salt and stirred that mixture in.  I also added the nuts and gave the pudding mixture a thorough stir.

Grandma would have placed her pudding in Mason jars, and I probably should have done that too. When I scooped it into my pudding mold, it seemed a little full. 

I placed the lid on and lowered the mold into simmering water and set the timer for three hours and 15 minutes, which is the time it took for the last pudding I'd made to be done. I was trying to get the internal temperature to 98 degrees celcuis, but when the timer rang, it wasn't quite there. I kept adding time but finally got impatient and took it out when the temperature was 94 degrees. As you can see, it didn't unmold perfectly, but I tasted the few bits that stuck to the bottom, and I couldn't wait to dig in. 

The verdict on Carrot Pudding

After the pudding had cooled a bit, we cut slices, drizzled them with a little Butterscotch Sauce, and added generous dollops of whipped cream.  

It looked great, and the flavor: amazing. It was like taking a step back into the Christmases of my childhood. The pudding was deliciously spiced, dense, and moist, with a deep, fruity sweetness that was just right. 

"This is so, so good," I said to my husband, "But I'm not sure if I feel that way because it is or because I grew up with it."

"I didn't grow up with it," he said. "And I agree."

I think you will too, especially if you enjoy nostalgic, old-fashioned comfort food at its very best.