ScarlettChocolate Nut Delight
November 27th 2007 13:00
Chocolate Nut Delight
About Pudding
In the British Isles, and some Commonwealth countries, pudding is the common name for dessert.
Pudding is one of two types of food.
1. The first type of pudding is a solid mass formed by the mixing of various ingredients with a grain product (e.g. batter, flour, cereal) or another binder (e.g. blood, eggs, suet). Puddings can be cooked by three methods: baking, steaming, and boiling. This type of pudding is still common in various places, especially the British Isles, and can be eaten as either a main-course dish or a dessert. In Australia, pudding is usually used to describe this first type, though the term also may be used to refer to the second types as well. These are less common in the U.S.
Many puddings of this type resemble cakes, but are moister and usually served in chunks rather than slices. Others are types of sausages. Dessert pudding is often accompanied by custard or ice cream.
Boiled pudding was a common main course aboard ships in the British Navy in the 18th and 19th centuries. Pudding was used as the primary dish in which daily rations of flour and suet were prepared.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 6-8
Oil for greasing
125 gm self-raising flour
4 tablespoons cocoa powder
125 gm caster sugar
125 gm butter / margarine, softened
2 teaspoons natural vanilla essence
250 gm walnuts, finely chopped
2 eggs
250 gm strawberries
3 tablespoons icing sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons clear honey or golden syrup
Fresh fruit to serve (optional)
1. Cut a piece of non-stick baking parchment to fit the base of the soaked 1.5 kg / 3-5 lb clay pot, then place it in position.
2. Grease the side of the pot.
3. Mix the flour, cocoa powder and caster sugar in a bowl. Add the fat, vanilla, half the walnuts and the eggs.
4. Beat the mixture well, preferably using an electric mixer, until soft, slightly paler in colour and light.
5. Turn the mixture into the pot and spread it evenly.
6. Sprinkle the rest of the nuts over the top.
7. Cover the pot and place in the cold oven. Set the oven at 200 degrees Celsius. Cook for 50 minutes. The chocolate sponge should feel firm and springy.
8. Trickle the honey or syrup over and cook, covered, for 5 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, purée the strawberries with the icing sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon.
10. Cut the pudding into squares to serve. Top with you like, for example, raspberries, strawberries, peach, nectarine or mango slices.
Notes:
Wash a new pot in hand-hot water adding a little washing-up liquid, and rinse it thoroughly.
Preparing the claypot for cooking:
1. The first step in preparing a claypot recipe is to soak the pot in cold water for 15 minutes, or until you are ready to put the food in the pot. If the pot has never been used before, it should be soaked for 30 minutes.
2. Place the pot and lid in the sink or in washing-up bowl. Invert the lid on top of the pot to save space and fill the sink or bowl with cold water to completely submerge the pot and lid. The unglazed, porous pot absorbs water during soaking.
3. As the pot heats in the oven, the water creates a moist cooking atmosphere. Not only does this prevent foods from drying out but it also encourages some ingredients to create a flavoursome cooking liquor.
4. The moist atmosphere promotes tender results when roasting meat and preserves the natural flavour of seafood and vegetables.
5. When used for baking, the pot encourages items, such as cakes and breads, to rise well.
6. The pot also helps to give yeasted breads a good crust which crisps and browns when the lid is removed for the final 10 minutes or so of cooking.
7. The material and moisture which is retained in the pot makes it unnecessary to add fat for basic cooking.
8. When cooking baked items, such as bread or cakes, it makes sense to line the bottom of the claypot with a piece of non-stick baking parchment. This ensures that the baked goods are easy to remove.
9. If you intend using the same claypot for all types of cooking, do not cook fish as the first food in the pot. Once the pot has been used for other cooking, then it can be used for fish and seafood. Ideally, it is best to keep a separate clay pot for desserts and baking.
**From “The Book of Claypot Cooking” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”**
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