My recipe for pouding chômeur is scribbled in the cookbook I’ve had since childhood. It’s one of my favourite winter desserts here in Québec, and the one my husband asks for whenever we’re at the cottage, especially after a long snowshoe or a walk in the cold.
I make mine in little ramekins, with a buttery cake and a generous pour of maple syrup simmered with cream. In the oven, the tops turn golden, the edges caramelize, and the sauce settles underneath. The best spoonful goes right to the bottom, where the warm cake has soaked up some of that maple cream.
Often called “poor man’s pudding” in English, pouding chômeur takes its name from the French word chômeur, meaning someone who is out of work. As the story goes, women working in Québec factories during the Great Depression made it with what they had on hand. A simple syrup of brown sugar and water was enough to turn a few spoonfuls of batter into a warm dessert for the table.
The version in my cookbook calls for pure maple syrup and cream. I love that the idea is still so simple. You pour the sauce over the batter, and by the time you pull it from the oven, the cake has risen through it.
A Few Helpful Tips
Maple Cream Pouding Chômeur
Ingredients
For the cake
- ⅔ cup salted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups minus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
For the maple cream sauce
- 2 cups pure maple syrup
- 2 cups whipping cream (35%)
Instructions
Before you begin.
- Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C).
- Arrange eight ovenproof, single-serving ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet.
Make the batter.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
- Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture just until combined.
- Use the batter right away, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Make the maple cream sauce.
- Combine the maple syrup and cream in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to bring the syrup and cream together into a smooth sauce.
- Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat.
Fill the ramekins.
- Spoon about 2 tablespoons of hot maple cream sauce into each ramekin.
- Add about ⅓ cup of batter to each, then slowly pour more sauce over the top until each ramekin is about two-thirds full.
- If you’re preparing the puddings to freeze, let the sauce cool completely before assembling and freeze unbaked (see recipe notes).
Bake and serve warm.
- Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the tops are golden all the way to the centre and the cakes feel set when lightly pressed.
- Let stand for a few minutes, then serve warm, with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream if you like.
Notes
- Make ahead. The batter can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
- To serve. I bring the ramekins straight to the table. For an extra treat, add a small scoop of vanilla ice cream while the cake is still warm so it starts to melt into the maple sauce.
- To freeze. Let the maple cream sauce cool completely before assembling so the butter in the dough stays firm. Use ramekins (or container) rated to go directly from the freezer into a preheated 450°F (230°C) oven. Assemble as directed, cover tightly and freeze before baking.
- To bake from frozen. When a craving strikes, take out as many puddings as you like. Uncover, set on a rimmed baking sheet and bake straight from frozen at 450°F (230°C) for about 25 to 30 minutes, until the tops are golden all the way to the centre.
