Chocolate Fig Pudding

Servings: 6

1/3 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
1 1/3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup dried figs, diced
1 1/4 cups whipping cream, whipped

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a large electric mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla extract. Add cocoa powder and mix until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, stir together chocolate chunks, flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk to the chocolate mixture; mix well. Fold in figs.

Pour batter into six well-buttered individual molds or one well-buttered 1 1/2-quart pudding mold. Place pudding(s) on center rack of oven, with a roasting pan of boiling water on the rack below.

Bake 35 minutes for individual molds or 1 hour for large mold, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out nearly clean. Cool 10 minutes; unmold. Serve warm with whipped cream.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.