New England Blueberry Pudding

This moist cake can be made with blackberries or cranberries; if the latter, add an extra 1/2 cup sugar. You’ll need an 8-quart pressure cooker with a steamer basket insert that fits inside it, parchment paper and kitchen twine.

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing

2 /2 cups flour

1 /2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup plain dried bread crumbs

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg, beaten

2/3 cup milk

1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries

Creme fraiche or heavy cream, for serving

Use a little butter to grease the inside of a 1-quart mold or heatproof bowl, such as a metal mixing bowl.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a separate mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter pieces into the sifted ingredients until the butter is well incorporated and no pieces are larger than pea-size. Add the bread crumbs and sugar, mixing well, then gently stir in the egg, milk and blueberries.

Pour the mixture into the mold or heatproof bowl that will fit inside the steamer insert of your pressure cooker, making sure to fill the mold or bowl no more than three-quarters full.

Fold over a piece of parchment paper to form a double-thick square that hangs over the edges of the mold or bowl by a few inches, creating a pleat to allow for the pudding’s rise. Use a little butter to grease the underside of the paper. Use kitchen twine to secure the paper just under the rim of the mold or bowl, making sure the twine is long enough to loop over the top and tie on the opposite side; this will create a handle you’ll use to lift out the pudding when it’s done.

Fill the pressure cooker with at least 2 inches of water and bring it just to a boil over medium or medium-high heat. Place the mold or bowl in the steamer insert (or on a steamer rack that fits inside the pressure cooker), then lower it into the pressure cooker. Cover with the pressure cooker lid but do not clamp it on. Steam for 15 minutes; this step is necessary so the pudding will rise.

Clamp on the lid; bring the cooker up to full pressure. Reduce the heat to medium, if needed. Cook for 35 minutes; when you peek under the parchment, the cake should look cooked through. Turn off the heat and carefully vent the pressure cooker right away. Use the twine handle to lift out the mold or bowl.

Discard the twine and parchment paper. Use a table knife to run around the inside of the mold or bowl to loosen the pudding. Place a serving plate on top of the bowl, then invert the pudding.

Serve warm or at room temperature, with creme fraiche or cream. Makes 6 servings.

Source: Based on a recipe in "The United States Regional Cook Book" edited by Ruth Berolzheimer (1947) and featured in "80 Recipes for Your Pressure Cooker" by Richard Ehrlich.

Per serving (using low-fat milk): 470 calories, 9 g protein, 71 g carbohydrates, 18 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 80 mg cholesterol, 380 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 25 g sugar.