Steamed puddings are a classic Yankee dessert. They tend to be served around the holidays, when they are made with pumpkin and molasses. This version is lighter and more suitable for summer.

Steamed Raspberry Pudding
Arrows Restaurant, Ogunquit

1½ cups fresh or frozen raspberries
1 cup sugar
12 Tablespoons (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350°. Generously butter the inside of six 6-ounce round ramekins, then sprinkle with a little sugar and tap out the excess.

Toss the raspberries with ½ cup sugar and divide the mixture among the ramekins, arranging them to cover the bottom of each mold.

In a large mixer bowl beat together the butter and remaining  ½ cup sugar on medium speed until light in color, 3-5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir the dry ingredients, alternately with the milk, into the butter mixture, to make a smooth batter. Divide the batter equally among the ramekins, filling them ¼ inch from the top.

Place the ramekins in a roasting pan, spacing them evenly. Add enough hot water to the pan to come halfway up the sides of the molds. Butter a large piece of aluminum foil and place the foil, butter side down, on top of the pan. Seal it tightly around the edges.

Bake for about 35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the puddings comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow the puddings to cool for 10 minutes in the water.

Remove the puddings from the molds by inverting them onto a rack. Serve the puddings on warm plates. (If not serving immediately, cool the puddings completely in their molds, individually wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Before serving, unwrap the puddings, place them on a cookie sheet, and warm them for 5 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 350°, then unmold.)

Serves 6.

Serving Notes:
You can serve the puddings in the molds, though they won’t look as spectacular.

You can use foil ramekins instead of ceramic ones. Once the custards are baked, let them set for 5 minutes after removing them from the hot water. With a pairing knife, poke a tiny slit in the bottom of each foil cup, then invert onto serving plates. Lift the foil cups off of the custards and serve.

Clark Frasier and Mark Gaier are the chef-owners of Arrows restaurant in Ogunquit.