For the past while, the food trend that refuses to go away are desserts in a glass or Mason jar. It was stylish for a week but some people like to hold on to ideas. Moving on. Another trend, something more recent is the making of desserts using a microwave and a coffee mug. I own microwave and I’m not ashamed to say I use it to defrost some items, reheat others but never to actually cook. Go to your neighborhood thrift shop or used book store and you’ll surely find a slew of microwave cookbooks. I do not own one.
Despite the previous paragraph, I am sharing this recipe out of pure novelty, something to add into your arsenal of last minute recipes – the microwave dessert in a coffee mug. I saw Montreal chef Stefano Faita make this dessert the other day and with a result that looked good and sounded tasty. He made a dessert that resembled a steamed bread pudding but there was no stale bread used. Just a coffee mug, flour, eggs, brown sugar and some leavening agents.
The Canadiana in this dessert is Maple syrup and grated apple. I like both of these, especially now that it’s Autumn. I made this dessert, was skeptical but thought, “what the heck” as I had all the ingredients on hand and I could make a single serving in 3 minutes. Begrudgingly, the dessert turned out well and here we are making a coffee mug dessert.
I like adding my own twists to recipes and this one got some Greek touches added: borrowing from Karydopita, a favourite Greek syrup cake (recipe in my coobook) with cinnamon and cloves plus the addition of dried cranberries and Metaxa brandy.
Think Karydopita meets a sticky maple Chameur from Quebec. Stefano’s recipe makes one serving for someone looking to have dessert as a meal replacement but realistically, it makes for two servings.
I’ve adapted the recipe to make 8 servings in a coffee mug. Each mug gets filled halfway and as you nuke the batter, you’ll see it puff up like a souffle. Don’t worry, the batter won’t explode in the microwave and you’ll end up with a delicious, last minute dessert.
Sticky Apple & Walnut Pudding in a Coffee Mug
(makes 8 servings)
room temperature butter, for greasing mug8 Tbsp. melted butter, for bottom of pudding
8 Tbsp. brown sugar, for bottom of pudding
8 Tbsp. maple syrup 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
8 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar, for pudding batter
6 large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla 2 Tbsp. Metaxa brandy
3/4 cup milk 2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. cloves 1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder 1/3 cup ground walnuts 1 1/2 cups grated apple (about 1 1/2 – 2 apples)
1/2 cup dried cranberries tossed in 1 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour
Garnishes whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for serving
Maple syrup (or use Petimezi or honey)
- Grease a large, microwavable mug with butter. Add 1 Tbsp. of each melted butter, brown sugar, maple syrup and walnuts to bottom of each mug. Add remaining butter, brown sugar to a medium bowl and stir until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla, brandy and milk, stir until thoroughly combined.
- In another large bowl, add cinnamon, cloves, flour, salt, baking powder and ground walnuts, stir to combine. Add dry to wet ingredients and mix well.
- Fold in grated apple and cranberries. Spoon in the batter into each mug (fill each halfway) and place four mugs in your microwave.
- Microwave on high for 7 minutes. Let cool for a minute before removing from microwave oven. Repeat with the remaining four coffee mugs.
- Carefully remove hot mugs and using a paring knife, loosen pudding from sides of mug. Invert on to plate. Drizzle with maple syrup and serve with dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
5 Responses
Oh yum – we obviously do not have access to such Canadianana delights, but it is a starting point for inspiration – as are many of your posts!
Good Morning Peter….I’ve enjoyed your site and a number of your recipes, and look forward to getting your book.
I realize adapting recipes can lead to typos, but was wondering if I was missing something in the first 3 ingredients….
This says it is to make 8 servings, and one microwaves 4 cups twice, but the first 3 ingredients seems to only be the starter for 6 servings. Obviously I can just increase those quantities to make 8, so I don’t mean to be petty, I’m just trying to find out if that also means the remaining ingredients need to be tweaked as well.
Thanks for your help!
Thanks for catching this discrepancy, Stephen. When I increased the recipe, the servings were for six but the portions are big, considering it’s a rich dessert so I adapted it to eight. Sometimes in my eagerness to share a recipe, these discrepancies fall through the cracks. I appreciate your note but please send any future notes via email and I will respond as soon as I can.
Wow, Peter. You not only don’t post my kindly worded comment about the recipe ratios, with a thanks for the sharp eye or anything…you don’t even have enough class to at least send an email.
Wow, zero class.
Guess I’ll skip buying that cookbook like I had mentioned…
I know, I know, this post won’t see the light of day…but that’s okay, I’m known in the food blogosphere, just not under this name….word will get around…..
Stephen, you have to be patient (sometimes) as I sometimes have a lot on the go. Your above comment was posted along with my kind thank you. Take a deep breath and relax the next time you decide to toss some darts around.