This versatile Mexican carrot pudding can be served as a side dish or a dessert. As a side dish, it is made with cheese, and as a dessert, with raisins and nuts. Here, it is presented as a dessert. Somewhat akin to a coffee cake, it goes well with coffee or tea. The recipe is adapted from Diana Kennedy’s Essential Cuisines of Mexico.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing baking dish
- 3 large eggs, separated
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 6 ounces rice flour, sifted
- 2 pounds carrots, cooked and pureed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Preheat the oven to 500°F. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish. Melt the 6 ounces of butter.
Beat the egg yolks until thick. Add sugar and continue beating. Add rice flour alternately with melted butter, continuing to beat until incorporated.
Stir in the carrot puree, salt, baking powder, raisins, and nuts, if using.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold them into the carrot batter. Pour the batter into the baking dish; bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven to 350°F, and bake for 45 minutes longer.
The budín should be spongy to the touch, with browned top and sides. Cut into squares and serve. This is good with whipped cream. Makes 6-8 servings.
The carrot: A year-round Mexican resource
