Cranberry Maple Pudding Cake is, without a doubt, my favorite Sunday morning breakfast. The stone-ground cornmeal "cake" is hearty and not-too-sweet and the saucy maple-y bottom has just the right amount of cranberry tang. Eat it warm. Eat it with a big dollop of Greek yogurt or just on its own. It's healthy (well, cranberries... right?), it's tasty, it's quick and easy to make. It leaves the rest of the afternoon free for contemplating dessert.
Here's the recipe (originally from an issue of Bon Appetit):
2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (I usually add more)
1 cup pure maple syrup (grade B or grade A dark amber) - use the grade B for maximum mapleyness
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 tsp finely grated orange peel
Pinch plus 1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 lg egg
3 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
Crème Fraîche, softly whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream (or Greek yogurt for breakfast!)
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 400°F. Combine first 4 ingredients and pinch of salt in medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Whisk egg and sugar in another medium bowl. Whisk milk, melted butter, and vanilla into egg mixture. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; whisk to blend. Pour warm cranberry mixture into 8x8x2-inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Pour batter over.
Bake cake until golden and cranberry mixture bubbles at edges, about 28 minutes. Cool 15 minutes.
