After Jonathan Brunt’s story about his great-grandmother’s suet pudding, The Spokesman-Review Food section received several emails, including a couple with their own recipes for the old-timey dessert.

Brunt’s story “brought back memories of the 1950s,” wrote Margaret Schlosser of Nine Mile Falls. “My mother would make a steamed pudding with suet as an ingredient, usually during the Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays. I am sure that this recipe was one that my grandmother also used.

“Mother’s recipe is called ‘Carrot Pudding,’ has different ingredients and a note on the recipe said she used a 2-pound coffee can to steam the pudding in. The steamed pudding was served warm with warm lemon sauce.”

Schlosser’s mother died at 94 in March 2009, and her recipe is a “great memory.” It can be found below.

 Mary Ann Schoeff of Cheney calls her suet pudding “Van Dyke Christmas Suet Pudding” for her mother’s side of the family, who were “all Dutch.” They used to have it every Christmas.

But, Schoeff said, “I couldn’t talk my family into liking it.” She said she made it once for them, “but they were not interested in keeping up the tradition.”

Her recipe is below, too. If you try it, be sure to make the sauce. “The sauce,” Schoeff said,  “really makes it.”

Steamed Carrot Pudding with Lemon Sauce

From Margaret Schlosser of Nine Mile Falls

For the pudding 

1 cup grated raw carrot

1 cup grated raw potato

1 cup grated suet (or 1/2 cup shortening)

1 cup raisins

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon each: baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cloves

For the sauce

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons butter

1 well beaten egg (or 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch)

1 lemon, juice and zest (or 3 tablespoons juice)

1/2 cup hot water

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Make the pudding: Mix all ingredients. Put in a greased steamed pudding mold (or other metal container) and cover with foil). Steam for 3 hours.

Make the sauce: Cream together sugar and butter. Add 1 well beaten egg, lemon juice and zest, and hot water. Cook in double boiler until thick. Add chopped nuts, if using. Serve with pudding.

Yield: 6 servings.

Van Dyke Christmas Suet Pudding

From Mary Ann Schoeff of Cheney

For the pudding

1 cup chopped suet

1 cup sweet milk

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon soda

2 cups raisins

1/4 cup chopped nut meats

1/4 cup each: candied cherries, citron, orange and lemon

1 teaspoon each: cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg

For the sauce

1 cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1 tablespoon butter

2 egg whites, beaten

1/2 teaspoon orange rind flavor

Make the pudding: Combine all ingredients in the order given, stirring only until well mixed. Pour into pan 3 inches high and 7 to 8 inches in diameter, and steam for 2 hours.

Make the sauce: Mix all ingredients, then cook in a double boiler until thick. Serve with pudding.

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