Nana Bridget’s steamed pudding with kawakawa butterscotch

MAKES 12 SMALL PUDDINGS / PREPARATION 30 MINUTES / COOKING 30 MINUTES

This is our grandmother’s steamed pudding recipe, which our mum taught us. It is one of those timeless recipes that we always come back to. Our addition of kawakawa to the butterscotch gives the dish an added herbal note which we think makes this dessert even more special. It is amazing how easy it is to find kawakawa growing all over New Zealand. Google the plant and you will be able to keep an eye out for some when you’re on your next walk.

1 cup sugar

½ cup boiling water 125g butter, at room temperature 2 eggs

1½ cups flour

½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda

½ cup hot milk

FOR THE KAWAKAWA BUTTERSCOTCH

½ cup cream

½ cup brown sugar

100g butter

7 kawakawa leaves whipped cream, freeze-dried raspberries

and edible flowers, to serve

Put ½ cup sugar in a nonstick frying pan and place over medium heat. Let it bubble until it reaches a dark golden colour – do not stir with a spoon but instead swirl the hot sugar in the pan to mix. Add the boiling water when it is a nice dark gold, stir and set aside.

Cream the butter and the remaining ½ cup of sugar until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

In a separate bowl sift the flour and baking powder. Add the baking soda to the hot milk to make a foam. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar and mix until combined. Add half of the milk mixture and beat to combine. Add the remaining half of the flour mixture, mix then add the remaining milk mixture and combine completely. Finally add the burnt sugar syrup and mix until everything is combined.

Grease six nonstick ramekins and line the base with a small circle of baking paper. Spoon in the mixture until they are two-thirds full. Cover with foil and tie down with kitchen twine. Place a rack in the bottom of a large pot, put the puddings on the rack and carefully pour in hot water until the water comes halfway up the sides of the puddings. Put a lid on the pot and bring the water to a gentle boil. Steam the puddings for 30 minutes or until cooked.

Put all of the kawakawa butterscotch ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over a low heat, stirring constantly until everything is melted and combined completely. Remove the kawakawa leaves.

To serve, place a pudding on each plate, pour over the kawakawa butterscotch sauce and pipe on some whipped cream. Garnish with freeze-dried raspberries and edible flowers. karenakasey.com