Black pudding is a steamed pudding dessert made in the southern US.
It is made from molasses, sour cream or buttermilk, flour, spices, baking soda, a fat such as butter or suet, raisins, and other fruit such as figs or apples.
It is packed in a greased cloth or mould, and steamed for 2 to 4 hours, depending on the recipe.
It is served with a hard sauce or a runnier sauce the consistency of custard.
Literature & Lore
“BLACK PUDDING. Half pint molasses, fourth cup butter, fourth cup sugar, one and a half cups flour, fourth cup sweet milk, three eggs, half tea-spoon ground cloves, half tea-spoon soda, half tea-spoon cinnamon; steam one hour in a buttered pan. Avoid lifting the lid of the steamer while cooking, as it will render the pudding heavy. Serve with a sauce made of two-thirds cup butter, third cup sugar, and half cup boiling water; thicken with tea-spoon flour stirred in a little cold water until smooth; let boil two or three minutes, stirring all the time, and flavor to taste with vinegar, rose-water, or nutmeg.”
–Miss Ida Norton, Delaware.” In Practical Housekeeping. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Buckeye Publishing Company. 1877. Page 198.