Cherry Pecan Pudding

My best guess

As I mentioned in this post, Grandma's idea of a pudding was not exactly what we think of today—not the smooth and easy-to-eat dessert you would request after having your tonsils out. Her "puddings" were cake-like and often served warm, topped with a sauce, whipped cream, or ice cream. They are old-fashioned comfort food at its finest. 

I had no qualms, then, about testing Cherry Pecan Pudding. I did, however, have a question. What kind of canned cherries should I use? 

I don't know anything about the canned cherry situation back in Grandma's day, but in our enlightened age, it's possible to buy two different kinds: sweet cherries in heavy syrup and tart cherries in water. After looking at the sauce portion of the recipe, I decided that adding sugar and cornstarch to heavy syrup would be overkill, so I bought tart cherries in water and hoped for the best. 

How to make Cherry Pecan Pudding

The process couldn't have been much simpler, although the order for combining the ingredients was a bit strange. First, I was told to stir the pecans, sugar, and egg together. 

I did that, then I whisked together the flour, baking powder, and salt. 

I drained the cherries, reserving the liquid for the sauce. 

I measured out the milk. I then brought those various components together and looked at them, trying to decide what to combine next.  

Would it matter? I wasn't sure, so I added the flour into the sugar-egg mixture alternately with the milk. The cherries went in last, which is what the recipe said to do. 

It made for a chunky batter, which is also typical of an old-fashioned pudding where lots of fruits and nuts go into their making. I spread that batter into an 8 x 8-inch pan, which, amazingly, was specified in the recipe. 

And then life got busy and I failed to get a picture of the pudding coming out of the oven. It did take longer than the time in the recipe, though, almost ten minutes longer. 

The sauce was also easy to make. I did add more water to the cherry liquid to reach one cup. I poured that into a saucepan, then stirred the sugar and flour together so the flour wouldn't clump. 

I added that to the saucepan with the liquid and stirred it over medium heat until it began to bubble. I also added a couple drops of red food coloring, just for kicks. 

Last, I added the butter and stirred until it was incorporated into the sauce, which turned a glossy red. 

The Verdict

We didn't hesitate to serve the pudding while it was still warm, and we topped it with also-warm sauce and ice cream.    

All that meltiness didn't make for an attractive photo, but it sure made for delicious eating. Studded with tangy fruit, the pudding was extra moist, and the shimmery sweet-tart sauce complemented it nicely. My choice of tart cherries was spot-on because the dessert was just right, not overly sweet. 

I plated up a portion the next day to see if I could get a better photo, and of course, I couldn't let my model go to waste. 

Lo and behold, it was just as good cold, topped with the sauce and a dollop of cream. Any way you serve it, this pudding is a cherry lover's dream.