Chomeur. The early spring is maple syrup season in Ontario.

This maple syrup pudding puts people in a coma. It’s  known as pouding chomeaur, (literally unemployment pudding or poor man's pudding), which is somewhat ironic given that buying maple syrup these days is akin to purchasing liquid gold.

Chomeur is very like a cottage pudding with a buttery cake forming the top layer. The bottom layer is essentially syrup infused cake.

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/3 cups of dark amber maple syrup

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 3 tablespoons of unsalted, room temperature, butter

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons of baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

• a pinch of mace (unbelievably, I had some available)

• 1 large egg plus another egg yolk

• 1/3 cup buttermilk (or use plain yogurt cut with water)

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 2/3 cup sugar

Methods:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter an 8 inch square glass or ceramic baking dish.

In a medium saucepan, boil the maple syrup over a medium heat until it is reduced to 1 cup. This takes about

6 minutes. If you happen to let the syrup boil over, you're basically totally screwed. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of butter,

then place the syrup mixture into the bottom of your baking dish.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, mace and baking powder. In a second small bowl, whisk together 

the wet ingredients: the whole egg, additional egg yolk, the buttermilk and vanilla. 

In a large bowl, mix the remaining stick of butter with the sugar until creamed. Then, at a low speed, mix in the 

dry ingredients in two batches, alternating with the liquid ingredients to form a smooth batter. Evenly dollop heaping 

tablespoons of the batter on top of the maple syrup. Bake the pudding for 35 minutes or until the top is nicely 

browned and a toothpick inserted into the top comes out clean. Let it cool before eating or risk severe burns.