I like to think of myself as a generous person. Don’t we all? Although, from the get-go I must admit that this post is purely selfish.
The limits of my kindness end at dessert. Specifically, when my date suggests sharing one. And so begins the ever awkward “I take one bite, you take one bite” tit-for-tat dance around the table, where the conversation trails off and my attention is entirely focused on someone else eating the majority of what I conceived to be MY dessert.
Lo and behold, one wintery evening, at Au Pied de Cochon (one of my ultimate fav restos in Montreal), a pair of adults found themselves engaging in what can only be described as childish behaviour. The instigator: Pouding Chômeur. This dessert embodies traditional French-Canadian cuisine: simple, rustic, comfort food. With a crusty outside, warm gooey inside and maple syrupy sauce, it’s “melt in your mouth” deliciousness. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch AND dinner. If I were unemployed and depressed, I would.
Before I knew it, “Hun! Let me get in there!” turned into “Stop pulling it away…”, which became “Are you serious?? You’re eating it ALL” and ended with “YOU DON’T EVEN LIKE SWEETS”. One spoon joust, several dirty looks and a few snide remarks later, the uncomfortably silent walk home finally came to a close. “If only,” I thought, “I could make the Pouding myself. Then, I would never have to share.” My six-year-old self was onto something. Lucky for me, Martin Picard wrote a cookbook in which he so generously shares PDC’s recipe for “Caroline’s Pouding Chômeur” (Chef Picard, I am forever in your debt). Other favorites like the Foie Gras Poutine, Foie Gras and Boudin Tart and Duck in a Can are also featured. But my choice was really a no-brainer: 6 personal-sized Poudings all for me. So “the one that got away” is now permanently, always and forever MINE.
PS. Love, if you’re reading this… I ate the last one after you fell asleep last night. How do the kids put it these days? #sorrynotsorry. Yeah, that’s it.
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Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup whipping cream (35%)
pinch of salt
Vanilla ice cream (dessert of this caliber calls for the goooood stuff!! HAAGEN-DAZZSSSSSS!!!!)
Directions:
– In pan, bring syrup and cream to a boil, whisking often. When it starts to boil, remove immediately from heat and add salt.
– Let Maple mixture cool, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
– In a large bowl, combine butter and sugars, blend until smooth.
– Add eggs and vanilla, beat until completely mixed.
– Add flour and baking powder, beat until well mixed.
– Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
– Preheat oven to 450F.
– Place 6 oven safe, 5 oz. ramekins on a foil-lined baking sheet.
– Spoon 3 tblsp of Maple mixture into the bottom of each dish.
– Spoon and equal amount of dough evenly among the pots.
– Slowly pour 2 tblsp of remaining maple mixture over each pot full of dough.
– Bake 20 to 25 minutes (until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean).
– Let cool, serve with ice cream.
*Copyright infringement is not intended. All credit goes Martin Picard and his book Au Pied de Cochon
I like to think of myself as a generous person. Don't we all? Although, from the get-go I must admit that this post is purely selfish.
The limits of my kindness end at dessert. Specifically, when my date suggests sharing one. And so begins the ever awkward "I take one bite, you take one bite" tit-for-tat dance around the table, where the conversation trails off and my attention is entirely focused on someone else eating the majority of what I conceived to be MY dessert.
Lo and behold, one wintery evening, at Au Pied de Cochon (one of my ultimate fav restos in Montreal), a pair of adults found themselves engaging in what can only be described as childish behaviour. The instigator: Pouding Chômeur. This dessert embodies traditional French-Canadian cuisine: simple, rustic, comfort food. With a crusty outside, warm gooey inside and maple syrupy sauce, it's "melt in your mouth" deliciousness. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch AND dinner. If I were unemployed and depressed, I would.
Before I knew it, "Hun! Let me get in there!" turned into "Stop pulling it away...", which became "Are you serious?? You're eating it ALL" and ended with "YOU DON'T EVEN LIKE SWEETS". One spoon joust, several dirty looks and a few snide remarks later, the uncomfortably silent walk home finally came to a close. "If only," I thought, "I could make the Pouding myself. Then, I would never have to share." My six-year-old self was onto something. Lucky for me, Martin Picard wrote a cookbook in which he so generously shares PDC's recipe for "Caroline's Pouding Chômeur" (Chef Picard, I am forever in your debt). Other favorites like the Foie Gras Poutine, Foie Gras and Boudin Tart and Duck in a Can are also featured. But my choice was really a no-brainer: 6 personal-sized Poudings all for me. So "the one that got away" is now permanently, always and forever MINE.
PS. Love, if you're reading this... I ate the last one after you fell asleep last night. How do the kids put it these days? #sorrynotsorry. Yeah, that's it.
View all images
Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsalted butter (room temp)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup maple syrup
1 cup whipping cream (35%)
pinch of salt
Vanilla ice cream (dessert of this caliber calls for the goooood stuff!! HAAGEN-DAZZSSSSSS!!!!)
Directions:
- In pan, bring syrup and cream to a boil, whisking often. When it starts to boil, remove immediately from heat and add salt.
- Let Maple mixture cool, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
- In a large bowl, combine butter and sugars, blend until smooth.
- Add eggs and vanilla, beat until completely mixed.
- Add flour and baking powder, beat until well mixed.
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 450F.
- Place 6 oven safe, 5 oz. ramekins on a foil-lined baking sheet.
- Spoon 3 tblsp of Maple mixture into the bottom of each dish.
- Spoon and equal amount of dough evenly among the pots.
- Slowly pour 2 tblsp of remaining maple mixture over each pot full of dough.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes (until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean).
- Let cool, serve with ice cream.
*Copyright infringement is not intended. All credit goes Martin Picard and his book Au Pied de Cochon
