Poutchine au sac is a Métis steamed pudding that is cooked in a cloth bag and served with a sweet sauce, with recipes varying from family to family. Serve it with hot tea.
Poutchine au Sac (Métis Steamed Pudding)
Dessert
Custards puddings creams
Vanilla: Extract
Medium
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A suet-rich dough of raisins, currants and brown sugar is tied in a cloth and simmered for hours until dense and moist. A simple vanilla-nutmeg sauce goes over each slice. Makes 8 slices in about 3 hr 20 min.
Prep
20 min
Cook
180 min
Total
3 hr 20 min
Yield
8 slices
Ingredients
Adjust yield
slices
Scales from a half to a double batch; give a bigger batch a little more time.
- 2 cups (250 g)all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tbsp (16 g)baking powder
- ½ tsp (3 g)salt
- ¾ tsp (2 g)ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp (1 g)ground nutmeg, for the pudding
- 1 cup (110 g)beef suet, very finely chopped or grated (lard may be used)
- ½ cup (100 g)brown sugar, packed
- 1 cup (150 g)raisins
- 2 ½ oz (75 g)currants
- ¾ cup (180 ml)whole milk
- ½ cup (100 g)granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml)boiling water
- 2 tbsp (28 g)butter
- 1 tbsp (8 g)cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ tsp (3 ml)vanilla extract
- 1 pinchground nutmeg, for the sauce
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Baking tools for this recipe
Instructions
- Fill a large, deep pot with enough water to cover the pudding and set it over medium heat with a small upturned plate in the bottom.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and spices. Rub in the suet with your fingertips until crumbly, then stir in the sugar, raisins and currants.
- Add the milk and stir just until no dry flour remains; the dough will be stiff and sticky.
- Wet a clean 24-inch (60 cm) square of plain cotton or muslin, wring it out and dust well with flour. Place the dough in the center, gather the corners and tie tightly with kitchen twine, leaving about 2 inches (5 cm) of slack for expansion.
- Lower the bundle into simmering water, cover, and simmer gently for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, topping up with boiling water as needed. It will float after the first hour.
- In the last 10 minutes, dissolve the sugar in the boiling water with the butter, stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer until slightly thickened, then add the vanilla and nutmeg.
- Lift the pudding out, rest 5 minutes, then unwrap. The pudding is done when a skewer through the center comes out clean. Slice and serve with the warm sauce.
Tips
- Do not lift the lid often; steady steam is what cooks the center.
- Flour the cloth well so the skin forms and the pudding releases cleanly.
- Wide-mouth jars with loose lids set in simmering water are a handy alternative to a cloth.
- Refrigerate leftover pudding within 2 hours and reheat slices to 165 F (74 C).
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Recipe FAQ
How long does it take to make poutchine au sac (métis steamed pudding)?
Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 3 hours of cooking. The recipe makes 8 slices.
How should I store poutchine au sac (métis steamed pudding)?
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and keep up to 4 days; reheat slices to 165 F (74 C) before serving. Freezes well.
Can I make poutchine au sac (métis steamed pudding) ahead?
It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.
Can I use a different form of vanilla?
Yes. This recipe uses 0.5 tsp vanilla extract (3 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.
463
Calories / serving
17.9g
Fat
73.0g
Carbs
4.8g
Protein
42.5g
Sugar
Whole recipe (8 servings): ~3704 cal · 143g fat · 584g carbs · 38g protein · 340g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
Made with VanillaGoods
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