Among My Souvenirs: Chocolate Fudge Pudding

Date: Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:26:45 -0500
From: nabooko
Subject: Among My Souvenirs: Chocolate Fudge Pudding

“There’s nothing left for me-
of days that used to be-
I live in memory . . .
Among my souvenirs.
Some letters tied with blue
A recipe  or two-  I find a rose
from you-  among my souvenirs , ,”

Call it nostalgia, melancholia or whatever, boxes and baggage we move from house to house, town to town, etc.  are souvenirs of a life past- memories we refuse to leave behind. Some we never look at again once they are tucked away- others we pour over frequently- desperately trying to relive the day or the moment-

Frequently I have written here about my various moves over the decades, dragging along boxes of memories and treasures – My 1973 move to Chatham county.  But never have I unpacked for you, my box of recipes-

Three weeks ago, I yearned for something out of the ordinary for a special dessert-  What could I make to meet the demand? I pulled out my ancient recipe box (actually a manila file folder) now soft and supple from 45 years of handling- Low and behold, there it was- My favorite recipe for Chocolate Fudge Pudding!

Tattered and torn, limp and fragile- a page from Woman’s Day Magazine 1954- How well I remember finding it in an “old” magazine in 1958! It was a real hoot at the time, because the 1954 estimate to make the dessert was .32 cents. I laughed at that estimate then and I rolled on the floor three weeks ago when read the cost of ingredients.

This is a chocolate cake that has its’ own self chocolate sauce- When cooked, there is a thick cake on top and a liquid chocolate sauce on the bottom. Dip in with a wide spoon, get both, flip over in a dish and walla- chocolate cake with a chocolate sauce on top- Fresh whipped cream adds to the decadent dish.

I always cook this in a rounded bottom casserole dish to make it easier to get the sauce. And be warned, after several servings- you end up with cake and very little sauce.  I have experimented several times with making additional sauce-  such as more boiling water and more brown sugar.  Learn by doing is the rule here.

Chocolate Fudge Pudding:

1 cup sifted flour                          2 tablespoons melted
2 teaspoon baking powder            shortening
1 teaspoon salt                             1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup granulated sugar               1/2 cp chopped pecans
 1/2 cup milk                                     1 1/2 cup packed                                                            brown sugar
                                                         

Sift four, baking powder, salt , granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons cocoa. Add milk, shortening and Vanilla: mix only until smooth. Add pecans. Put in a greased, shallow, 1 quart baking dish.  Mix brown sugar and remaining 4 tablespoons cocoa: sprinkle over mixture in baking dish. Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over the top. Bake in a moderate oven, 350- degrees for 40 mins. Serve warm or cold.  (I like it best at about room temp) (this pudding when baked, has a chocolate sauce on bottom and cake on top)

N.A. Booko

To see a pic of the original page from 1954 Woman’s Day- click on the web-link below:

www.mindspring.com/~expectations/fudge.jpg

Postscript: To those that know me, know that I live a near perfect flawless life- Seldom do any wrong- Shining example- etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.   But here, now, I must confess- I have done something really- well maybe unforgivable-

I liked the fudge pudding above so much last week, that it made me wonder how a peanut butter fudge pudding would taste. I tried it. Replaced the coca with peanut butter, the pecans with walnuts .other minor changes- . . .  but I realize I can’t use the Chatlist as a place of confession. . .

Nay not me- 

N.