Warm Gingerbread Pudding Caramel

I used to avoid making puddings because I thought they were too fussy, until a neighbor handed me a warm dish wrapped in a tea towel one November evening. It was gingerbread pudding, still steaming, and I ate half of it standing at the counter. That night I asked for the recipe.

The first time I made this for a dinner party, I panicked because I forgot to start the caramel until the pudding was already cooling. Everyone waited quietly in the other room while I whispered curses at the stove, but when I finally brought it out, still warm and glossy with sauce, no one cared that we ate dessert twenty minutes late. One friend scraped her bowl clean and asked if she could take the leftovers home.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: The base that holds everything together without weighing it down, measure it correctly or the pudding turns dense.
• Baking powder and baking soda: These two work as a team to give the pudding a light crumb, dont skip either one.
• Ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg: The warm spice blend that makes this taste like the best parts of winter, use fresh spices if yours have been sitting in the cupboard for years.
• Unsalted butter: Softened butter creams easily with the sugar and adds richness, cold butter will fight you.
• Brown sugar: It brings a deep molasses sweetness that white sugar cant match, pack it into the measuring cup.
• Eggs: They bind the batter and add structure, room temperature eggs mix in more smoothly.
• Molasses: The heart of the gingerbread flavor, dark and sticky and a little bitter in the best way.
• Vanilla extract: A small amount that rounds out the spices without announcing itself.
• Whole milk: It loosens the batter just enough to pour easily, low-fat milk works but the pudding wont taste as rich.
• Granulated sugar for caramel: It melts into amber magic, watch it closely because it goes from perfect to burnt in seconds.
• Heavy cream: When you pour it into hot sugar it hisses and bubbles, then turns into silk.

Instructions

Preheat and prep:

Turn the oven to 350°F and grease your baking dish well, especially the corners. I use butter because it adds flavor, but any fat works.

Mix the dry ingredients:

Whisk the flour, leaveners, salt, and all the spices in a bowl until theyre evenly distributed. You should be able to smell the ginger when you lean over the bowl.

Cream the butter and sugar:

Beat them together until the mixture looks pale and fluffy, this takes a few minutes. Then add the eggs one at a time, letting each one disappear before adding the next, and stir in the molasses and vanilla.

Combine wet and dry:

Add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with splashes of milk, and mix just until you dont see streaks of flour anymore. Overmixing makes the pudding tough.

Bake the pudding:

Pour the batter into the dish, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. A toothpick stuck in the center should come out clean, and the top will spring back when you press it lightly.

Make the caramel:

While the pudding bakes, heat sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat without stirring, just swirl the pan occasionally. When it turns deep amber, pull it off the heat and whisk in the cream carefully because it will bubble violently, then add butter and salt and stir until smooth.

Serve warm:

Let the pudding cool for ten minutes, then spoon it into bowls and drizzle the caramel over the top. It soaks in and pools around the edges.

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I once made this on a Sunday afternoon when the heat had gone out and the kitchen was the only warm room in the house. My kids sat at the table doing homework while the oven ran, and when I pulled the pudding out, the windows had fogged up completely. We ate it straight from the pan with spoons, and no one wanted to leave the kitchen.

How to Store and Reheat

The pudding keeps covered in the fridge for up to three days, and it reheats beautifully in the microwave or a low oven. The caramel sauce can be made a day or two ahead and warmed gently on the stove, just add a splash of cream if it thickens too much. I sometimes make a double batch of caramel because it disappears faster than the pudding does.

Flavor Variations

If you want a deeper, almost burnt sugar flavor, swap the molasses for dark treacle or blackstrap molasses, though be warned it will taste more bitter and intense. You can also fold in chopped crystallized ginger or a handful of raisins soaked in rum for extra texture. Once I added a tablespoon of espresso powder to the batter and it made the spices taste even warmer without tasting like coffee.

Serving Suggestions

This pudding is perfect on its own, but a dollop of barely sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream turns it into something you serve to guests without apologizing. I like it with strong black tea or coffee, and once I served it with a small glass of dark rum on the side, which people either sipped or poured over their dessert.

• Serve it in shallow bowls so the caramel pools around the edges.
• Dust the top with a little extra cinnamon or a few flakes of sea salt if you want to look fancy.
• Leftovers make an excellent breakfast, reheated and eaten quietly before anyone else wakes up.

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This is the dessert I make when I want the house to smell like somewhere people want to stay. It never lasts long, and I never mind making it again.

Recipes Q&A

→ What spices create the gingerbread flavor?

Ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg provide the warm, aromatic spices distinctive to the dish.

→ How is the caramel sauce prepared?

Sugar is melted and caramelized, then combined carefully with cream and butter to form a smooth, rich sauce.

→ Can molasses be substituted in the batter?

Dark treacle may be used instead of molasses to deepen the flavor without altering the texture significantly.

→ What texture should the pudding have when done baking?

The pudding should be moist yet set, with a toothpick coming out clean from the center.

→ What approaches enhance serving this dessert?

Serving warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream brings creamy richness that complements the spiced base and caramel.