Maple Whiskey Pudding Cake – oh my is it good

Maple Trout Lilli writes:

MAPLE WHISKEY PUDDING CAKES

These wonderful desserts bake up with a gooey sauce beneath a layer of rich, tender cake. There are a few steps involved, but the result is so worth the 20 minutes of prep. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Do not stir the maple-whiskey syrup into the batter after dividing it among the batter-filled ramekins. During baking, the syrup forms a sauce at the bottom.

6 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
6 Tablespoons Jameson whiskey, divided
kosher salt
½ cup maple sugar
¼ cup whole milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup toasted pecans
½ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

In a small saucepan over medium, combine ½ cup wáter, the maple syrup, vinegar, 4 tablespoons of whiskey, 2 tablespoons of butter and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In another small saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter. Cook, swirling the pan, until the milk solids at the bottom are deep golden brown and the butter has the aroma of toasted nuts, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325 with a rack in the middle position. Mist four 6-ounce ramekins with cooking spray and place on a rimmed baking sheet. When the butter is cool, whisk in the sugar, milk, egg, vanilla and remaining 2 tablespoons whiskey. Set aside.

[MTL stopped by the sugarhouse with two of these for the four of us to split. I ate my half of a pudding cake first, and lucky for me it was the larger half. AC]

In a food processor, process the pecans until finely ground and beginning to clump, 30-40 seconds. Add the flour, baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt, then pulse ’til combined, about 5 pulses. Add the butter mixture and pulse until a smooth, thick batter forms, about 5 pulses, scraping down the bowl once.

Divide the batter among the prepared ramekins. Gently pour the maple mixture over the batter in each ramekin. Do not stir. Bake until cakes are puffed and the centers jiggle only slightly, 25-30 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before serving – cakes will fall slightly as they cool.

-MTL