Recipe to Riches is a new reality series airing on Food Network Canada. Each week a Canadian home cook's recipe is chosen to become a President's Choice product. The product is sold in stores, the following weekend, wherever President's Choice products are sold. The weekly winner receives $25, 000 and is eligible to win the grand prize of $250, 000!
I was flipping through the channels and unknowingly came across the first episode on Wednesday evening, October 19th. I thought it would be fun to watch the Canadian home cooks, similar to myself, battling for the coveted winning spot. The first week's category was Pies and Puddings and the winner was Glo McNeill. Her recipe for Luscious Lemon Pudding won first prize. I had never seen anything like it, so I wanted to try it for myself! What's different about it, is that the batter separates into 2 parts, while it's baking. The bottom turns into a pudding consistency, and the top, into a sponge-type cake. I went online to do some research, studied several recipes, and came up with my own version.
Here is a photo of Glo, herself, posing with her winning recipe, turned PC product!
A day or two after I saw the episode, I tried making my own lemon pudding cake. I baked it in a square, glass dish, in a water bath. It tasted absolutely delicious, but didn't look very appealing, once it was scooped onto a plate. It didn't look as pretty as I wanted it to. I decided that next time, I would try baking the cake in individual ramekins.
The weekend came around, and I couldn't resist. Grandma Glow's pudding cakes were being sold in freezer sections at our local supermarkets. I went to purchase the frozen cakes and baked them for an after-dinner treat. To be honest, they weren't nearly as good as the home-made one I had baked a couple days before. The lemon pudding was okay, but the top sponge cake tasted so "fake". It tasted as though the pudding was placed on the bottom of the oven-safe ramekin, and then a factory made sponge cake round was placed on top. It was just okay for me. I'm sure Glo McNeill's original home-made recipe, the one that won over the judges, tasted much better than that.
Here was my second attempt at the lemon pudding cakes:
Ramekins, in a water bath, hot out of the oven.
Lemon pudding cake served warm, on a plate, dusted with icing sugar
The perfect balance of lemon, pudding, and cake!
I am thankful for the inspiration Grandma Glow's recipe has given me. I will definitely be making these lemon pudding cakes again. No doubt about it!
Of course, now I'm hooked on the show. Last week's category was "Cakes". I didn't feel particularly moved by any of the three finalist's recipes. I'm looking forward to this week's category - "Appetizers". Hopefully, I'll get some new ideas for my own home cooking!
Have a happy and safe Halloween! Thank you for stopping by my kitchen! xo
Yum, Rosinda - this is one of my favourite puddings to make (& eat!) Way back in the '80s, in my first restaurant job, this was one of our bestselling desserts. I also make a chocolate pudding & a sticky date one too...both the same principle, where they separate out to make a sauce on the bottom & a light sponge top. Deelish! I am sometimes tempted by 'ready-made' tpp...always hoping they might be really good & save me a bit of time. But nothing is ever as good as homemade, is it? I'm quite glad about that really! Hoping you & the girls have a wonderful Hallowe'en night, and thanks for your lovely comments - I'm so glad we got to eat Victoria Sponge together once at least!! xoxox R
ReplyDeletePudding cakes are a big deal here in the south. Chocolate is very common--you do make a batter then pour hot water over it (maybe top with brown sugar not sure) and it cooks and becomes a cake with pudding goo. I've tried this and it worked fine but I thought it was way too sweet. I'm not that big on lemon desserts but think that that's logically a better alternative for this recipe than chocolate. Glad you had fun experimenting. They look beautiful. You should go on that show--you'd win. They have something similar here called Master Chef but it's an ongoing contest and one person is axed weekly. Lotta fun.
ReplyDeleteOh, look at you! I bet you really improved on Glo's version!! I used to make one that was chocolate...but I bet the lemon one was light and yummy!! And it looks lovely in the ramekins...wouldn't it be special for Easter dinner?!! Glad to hear, too, that you had a wonderful Halloween. Can't wait to see Anita's costume! It is around 7:00pnm...no trick or treaters yet.... Love and hugs, Sherry xxxx
ReplyDeleteYou know what I'm thinking -- you should be on that show! You'd have a Tweetette cheering squad :) Your lemon pudding cakes look delicious, and your dishes are beautiful! xoxo
ReplyDeleteI LOVE lemon.....Nancy can eat the chocolate and I'll eat the lemon....
ReplyDeleteSo fun to experiment--of course, it's not so fun when things don't work out, but these look incredible and you're getting better and better at this....by that I mean....you're tempting me more and more!!!
xo
Joann
They look delicious! I think you'd do well on that show, too!
ReplyDeleteMmm they look scrummy :) I make something similar adapted from a Jamie Oliver recipe and a Rachel Allen recipe and I call it lemon cloud cake. Sometimes I make it for the pub as it sells really well there served with custard or cream.
ReplyDeleteI love lemon desserts and cloud cake is one of my faves as it is so tasty, simple, quick and is perfect for unexpected visitors!
Love Morwenna xoxo
Awesome blog you havee here
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