Category: Desserts

Mrs. Oblander’s Date Pudding

We first had this date pudding at my oldest brother-in-law’s home in Medicine Lodge, Kansas.  His mother-in-law, Mrs. Oblander, was visiting and impressed us all with this dessert one day.  Here is her date pudding recipe, which Jerri copied on a piece of note paper and noted that it was  “Easy/good.”  She was right.  It is extraordinarily easy to make and the nuts and dates combine to make a delicious dessert.

This is a very sweet and rich pudding, so make the first servings small and offer seconds.

INGREDIENTS:

For the pudding:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water
1 cup white sugar
1 cup English or black walnuts
1 cup dates
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/4 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/8 tsp. salt

For the topping:
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 T sugar
Dash of salt

PROCEDURE:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  Dissolve the brown sugar in the hot water and pour it into a 9” x 13” cake pan.  Allow the syrup to cool while you prepare the batter.  Chop the nuts and dates and put them into a mixing bowl.  Sift the baking powder, salt, sugar and flour over the nuts and dates and stir together.  Add the milk and mix well.  Drop the batter by spoonfuls into the syrup and bake for about 45 minutes.

Make the whipped cream after the pudding is out of the oven.  Put the cream in a chilled bowl and beat with a mixer or whisk until it starts to thicken.  Add the sugar, vanilla and salt and continue beating until the cream forms soft peaks.  You can test for this stage by stopping the mixer and lifting it out of the cream.  If the cream makes peaks that curl over at the top, you have the right consistency.  Be careful not to beat the cream too long or you will get butter.   Serve the warm pudding topped with a generous spoonful of whipped cream.

NOTE:  We think that this pudding is better when made with black walnuts but it is good with English walnuts too.

Jerri’s Cranberry Crumb Coffee Cake

Jerri found this recipe many years ago when we were living in Kentucky.  It has just the right amount of sweetness to balance the tartness of the cranberries.  It’s great for breakfast or dessert and is the perfect addition to your midmorning coffee.

INGREDIENTS FOR CRANBERRY TOPPING:

1 lb. cranberries
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
dash of salt

INGREDIENTS FOR CRUMB TOPPING:

1/4 cup flour
2/3 cup tightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup softened butter

INGREDIENTS FOR COFFEE CAKE BATTER:

2/3 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder (or 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/4 tsp. baking soda)
1 tsp. salt
1 cup milk (or 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup buttermilk)
2 tsp. vanilla extract

PROCEDURE:

First, make the cranberry topping.  Blend the two teaspoons of cornstarch with a half cup cold water in a large saucepan.  Add one pound of washed cranberries.  Add the sugar, cinnamon and dash of salt.  Bring to the pan to a boil, turn down the heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the cranberries pop open and the mixture thickens. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the topping to cool.

Second, make the crumb topping.  Blend the flour and brown sugar together.  Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.

Third, preheat the oven to 350º.  While the oven is heating,  prepare the cake batter.  Cream the butter and sugar until they are blended.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each.  Sift th