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Vintage Half Hour Pudding

My husband, the boy from the Get a Bigger Wagon stories, truly loves this pudding. He keeps the leftovers in the fridge and happily warms further servings in the microwave. He assures me that this pudding keeps well for three days. 

I found the original recipe, written in fountain pen, in my mother’s personal cookbook, which she started in 1947. The recipe called for butter “the size of an egg” to be added to the sauce. I use two tablespoons of butter. My mother had made a note in the margin of her recipe saying that 2 cups of water was too much. My father preferred a more sticky pudding. I use 1¾ cups of water and like the resulting thicker sauce. 

This pudding cooks at 350°F for 30 minutes, so I often bake other dishes at the same time. For example, my Oven-Baked Rice Medley requires the same time and temperature. 

I keep this recipe handy, in case we spontaneously invite guests to stay for dinner. It serves six to eight people. 

Vintage Half Hour Pudding

Preheat oven to 350° F

Pudding:

1 cup of flour

¾ of a cup of white sugar

½ cup of milk

¼ teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of baking powder

½ cup of dates, chopped

Mix the above ingredients and spoon into a greased dish (1.5 quarts). 

Sauce:

1 cup of brown sugar

1¾ cups of boiling water 

2 tablespoons of butter

1 teaspoon of vanilla

Pour the sauce over the batter, and place the dish in a 350°F oven. Bake the pudding for 30 minutes. The pudding will rise through the sauce allowing yummy delicious caramel taste to surround each bite. 

L to R Vintage Half Hour Pudding, pork chops, baked rice in broth