Cherry Pudding

This unique pudding is cooked entirely on the stovetop – no oven! A dumpling style pudding, this very cherry delicious dessert is fun to make and a joy to eat. Using the medium-low heat that cast iron works best with, this sweet third course is perfect for the Yellow Biroix Dutch Oven. Cherries are a wonderful fruit that New Zealand grows exceptionally well. Central Otago is famous for their cherries, many of which are exported overseas. The climate and soil pH around Crowmell make ideal conditions for cherries to grow. As a result, Central Otago cherries are known worldwide for being the firmest and most flavoursome. And this pudding puts them to good use.

Serves 6
Prep time 10-15 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes

 What you need:

• 1 cup of white flour 
• 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon of salt 
• ¾ cup of sugar (split into ¼ cup & ½ cup) 
• 60g of butter
• 1/3 cup of milk 
• ½ teaspoon of vanilla essence 
• 1 x 680g jar of pitted red cherries
• 1 cup of water

 How to make:

• In a medium sized bowl sift the flour, baking powder, salt and ¼ cup of sugar.
• Add 45 grams of softened butter (reserve 15 grams of butter for the cherries) and cut in with a butter knife or pastry blender. 
• Add the milk and vanilla and stir to combine. You may like to knead with your hands slightly. 
• Heat your Biroix Dutch Oven over a medium heat, adding in the cherries (including the liquid they are in), water, remaining ½ cup of sugar and remaining 15 grams of butter. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stirring occasionally. 
• Take the dumpling mix and drop tablespoon-size dumplings onto the cherry mix. Put the lid on your Biroix Dutch Oven and simmer gently until dumplings are cooked – around 15 minutes. Do not have the temperature too high or the cherries will stick to the bottom of the pot.
• Serve with ice cream or cream while the pudding is still warm.

This recipe was made especially for Biroix by the talented taste Queen - The MacPherson Diaries