Description
Maple Walnut Pudding Chômeur is a traditional French Canadian dessert featuring a luscious maple syrup and walnut sauce base topped with a soft, buttery cake. This comforting and indulgent treat combines the rich flavors of pure maple syrup, toasted walnuts, and a tender cake baked to golden perfection, making it a perfect dessert for cozy gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Syrup and Topping
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Cake Batter
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking dish to prevent sticking and allow even baking.
- Make Maple Walnut Sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the pure maple syrup and heavy cream. Bring this mixture to a gentle simmer, then stir in the chopped walnuts to infuse their flavor throughout the syrup. Immediately pour this hot mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a separate mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, ensuring a tender cake texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time to fully incorporate them, then mix in the vanilla extract to enhance overall flavor.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt thoroughly to evenly distribute the raising agent and seasoning.
- Mix Batter: Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and milk to the creamed wet ingredients, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. This alternating method helps create a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Assemble and Spread Batter: Carefully spread the batter over the hot maple-walnut syrup in the baking dish, taking care not to mix the two layers so the syrup remains distinct under the cake.
- Bake: Bake the pudding in the preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the cake layer comes out clean, confirming it’s fully cooked.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the pudding to cool slightly before serving warm. Spoon the gooey maple sauce from the bottom over the cake layers for a delightful presentation and flavor.
Notes
- For a deeper, richer maple flavor, opt for dark maple syrup (Grade B).
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream to elevate the indulgence.
- Ensure not to mix the batter with the syrup layer to maintain the pudding chômeur’s characteristic texture.
