Here’s to a dessert that always brings people together! A Quebecois classic, Pouding Chômeur – or “Poor Man’s Pudding” – is a simple, yet decadent dessert that originated in Quebec during the Great Depression.
With a light and fluffy cake that soaks in a creamy maple syrup sauce, this dessert is as decadent as it is comforting. Absolutely perfect for cozy nights in, or for sharing with family and friends.
What is Pouding Chômeur?
Pouding Chômeur is a beloved traditional French-Canadian dessert that I first discovered during my 12 years in Canada, where I enjoyed it countless times. Now, back in France, I often recreate it in my own kitchen whenever I crave the warmth and comfort of this classic Canadian treat!
Pouding Chômeur consists of a light white cake soaking in a delicious mix of maple syrup and heavy cream. During preparation, the syrup is poured over the cake batter. As it bakes, the cake rises to the top while the syrup settles underneath and becomes much thicker. The result is a rich-tasting pudding that screams to be served with a large spoon, to help scoop out the delicious maple cream underneath.
Pouding Chômeur combines pantry staples like flour, sugar and butter with a rich, sweet syrup made from maple syrup and cream. Originally created by Quebeois factory workers’ wives in the 1920s, this dessert was a budget-friendly way to indulge during tough economic times—hence the name “poor man’s pudding.”
Today, it’s a beloved treat across French Canadian Provinces, including Quebec and New Brunswick. You will often find it on the dessert menu in restaurants and in “sugar shacks” (cabanes à sucre) – the local log cabins with communal tables serving Quebecois comfort foods.
And because it is a simple recipe with humble ingredients, it is also a home bakers’ favorite recipe to make at home for friends and family. So let’s bake, shall we?
Ingredients you’ll need for Pouding Chômeur
This recipe uses common ingredients, making it an accessible dessert that you can whip up anytime. Here is a closer look at all the ingredients you will need.
- Maple Syrup. For best taste, use pure maple syrup labelled as Grade A. This gives the pudding its rich, authentic sweetness. Do not use syrup substitutes, such as Aunt Jemima.
- Heavy Cream. Maple syrup and heavy cream create that luxurious syrup soaking the pudding. Use 35% m.f. heavy cream (also referred to as whipping cream). I do not recommend half and half, which doesn’t yield the same richness.
- Butter. Adds a rich, buttery flavor and helps create a tender crumb in the cake. I prefer to use unsalted butter, to control the amont of salt added into the recipe.
- Sugar. White sugar works best here for the cake batter. Most recipes for Pouding Chômeur include more sugar, but I find that 1 cup (200g) is ample enough! We don’t want the cake to be overly sweet – the syrup does the job already.
- Eggs. You need two large eggs at room temperature: take them out of your fridge at least 1 hour before baking.
- Flour, baking powder, salt. These dry ingredients form the base of the batter, with baking powder providing the rise and salt enhancing all the flavors.
- Milk. Adds moisture to the batter, creating a smooth and creamy consistency. Use 2% m.f or whole milk. I don’t recommend using skim or lactose-free milk.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 390°F (200°C) and grease a 13 x 9-inch (32 x 23 cm) baking dish (or a deep pie dish). Use a baking dish with high sides, so the syrup doesn’t boil over and into your oven.
- Prepare the syrup: Simmer the maple syrup and heavy cream together until smooth.
- Make the batter: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs. Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until just combined.
- Assemble: Pour batter into the dish and spread evenly. Top with the creamy, liquidy syrup.
- Bake and Serve: Bake for 30-35 minutes, until golden. Serve warm.
Audrey’s Baking Tips
Making a pouding chômeur is truly an exercise in trusting in the process!
The first time I poured the maple syrup and cream mixture over the batter, I was full of doubt. It looked so messy, and I couldn’t imagine how the batter would bake while submerged in so much liquid. But as it baked, I watched the batter rise, transforming into a light and fluffy cake with a beautifully golden, craggy top.
Here are a few more tips for best results:
- Use Grade A high-quality maple syrup for the most authentic and best flavor. We are using 1 1/2 cup (12 fl.oz /350ml) of maple syrup for this recipe! So, splurging a little for a good bottle makes a big difference in taste. Do not use substitutes such as “Aunt Jemima”.
- Use 35% m.f. heavy cream (also known as whipping cream). I don’t recommend using a cream with less fat content or even half and half. We want a rich, silky maple cream, so going with a 35% fat content cream is the way to go!
- Use whole milk or 2% m.f. – Likewise, avoid using skim or lactose-free for the cake batter.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing can result in a dense, tough cake. What we want here is a light and fluffy cake batter that rises atop the syrup. Mix just until the ingredients are nicely combined.
- Serve warm. This dessert is at its best when it’s fresh out of the oven and warm, as the syrup will still be soft and gooey.
- Use a baking dish with high sides, as the syrup risks boiling over and spilling into your oven!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make Pouding Chômeur ahead of time?
Yes! You can prepare the cake batter and the syrup ahead of time, then store them separately in the refrigerator for up to 24hrs. When you’re ready to bake, bring the ingredients back to room temperature and assemble and bake as instructed.
How long can you keep Pouding Chômeur?
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, though it’s best eaten fresh.
How to serve Pouding Chômeur?
Pouding Chômeur is best served warm, about 15 minutes after you take it out of the oven. Use a large spoon to scoop it and serve it into individual bowls. Make sure you scoop the creamy syrup at the bottom as well. As the pudding cools, the cream at the bottom thickens slightly.
Because this is a rich dessert, I like to serve some fruits on the side: fresh berries in the summer, or some cooked apples in the Winter. But if you’re feeling indulgent, a scoop of vanilla ice-cream or whipped cream on top are heavenly!
I hope you’ll love this Pouding Chômeur recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions or tips to share, please feel free to leave a comment.
More comforting desserts to try:
- Gluten Free Apple Crisp
- Normandy Apple Tart (Tarte Normande)
- French Almond Croissants (Bakery-style)
- Classic French Chocolate Moelleux
- Chocolate Vanilla Marble Cake
- Classic French Pear Cake
- French Almond Pear Gratin
- Riz Au Lait with Caramel Sauce
- Apple Breton Pound Cake
- Classic French Chocolate Pôts de Crème
14 comments
Excellent variation of this recipe! I am in Maine with access to great maple syrup. I have made this a few times and your version is by far the best! Other variations, the cake is more like a breakfast pancake, this version was sweet and luscious. Thank you.
Wow, Hannah, sounds like you made this as soon as it hit your inbox! So glad you loved it, and I appreciate the kind words. Maine absolutely has its share of amazing maple syrup, much like Ontario or Quebec. No doubt that taste really came through. Have a bite for me, please 🙂
Could this recepie be made in small ramekins ?? Or would it not bake as well?? Thank you.
One reader did share with me that used to make these in ramekins when she was younger, but I didn’t get the temperature/baking instructions from her yet to pass along. That said, I don’t see why they wouldn’t work, I just don’t know what proportions to put into each ramekin, which is a touch important (along with baking time).
If/when I get that information, I will definitely pass it along to readers!
Hi Audrey, this sounds delicious and except for the batter it looks similar to what my mother used to make, Golden Syrup Dumplings, but I’ll definitely try your recipe with cream AND ice cream.. yum yum. Another recipe Mum used to make was Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding, made in the same way as your Maple Syrup pudding.
I don’t think I’ve heard of golden syrup dumplings or chocolate self saucing pudding, but to Google I will go right away because they both sound delicious! I love how many recipes are out there, in people’s kitchens, that so many others have never heard of… But would likely absolutely love.
I truly believe there’s a never ending supply of the most delicious recipes that we’ve yet to hear of!
I used to make Pouding Chomeur when we owned a farm 30 minutes from Quebec City. I had a wonderful recipe fof Pouding Chomeur from Chatelaine magazine (circa 2002) and lost it. The recipe called for maple syrup & I often made this when we were sugaring at our Sugar Shack. The recipe also called for brown sugar. I’m very pleased I found your recipe! We always served it with heavy cream – or vanilla ice cream. I now live in St. Augustine, FL and plan to make this for my friends!! Thank you!! ++ Subscribing!! ❣️😉
So glad you found this recipe as well, Cecile, I truly hope you and your friends will enjoy it. Love that you had your own sugar shack, that sounds like a dream! Especially having your own supply of maple syrup. Now you’re living a very dream in a very different climate, what a change! But glad you’re bringing some of home to Florida 🙂
Hi Audrey!
I love this pudding so much!
May I ask is there a can I swap the milk and the cream to a lactose free option like almond milk?
Thank you very much. 🙂
I really wish I could answer that for you, Jocelyn, but I have to be honest and say I’ve never tried. To be completely honest, if it’s just a lactose issue, I would 100% go the route of using lactose-free milk and cream (if they’re available) over using almond milk. I love subbing almond milk when I can, but I just don’t think this recipe is one I would do it for.
So strange that I never encountered this till last year (ate it in Ontario, not Quebec), despite being an enthusiastic cook, and living in Canada for 45 years. I am not a dessert person, but was smitten when I first tasted it, and was delighted to find your recipe.
I made this for a family Easter dinner, using half dark and half medium maple syrup. So easy, so delicious, popped it in the oven when we sat down to our main course, after making the maple syrup/cream topping and the bottom ahead of time and keeping in the fridge. I served it with strawberries frozen last summer, which get syrupy and soft when defrosted. Didn’t use whipped cream but we think next time this would be a lovely addition. This will go in the family celebratory dinners rotation.
Thank you yet again Audrey.
So glad you finally ended up discovering it, Michele. To be honest, my husband said he’d only ever had it in Quebec until fishing in northern Ontario once, and had it there as well (it was bordering Quebec). But I had personally never seen it on a menu anywhere near us in Ontaro, which is shocking, because it’s a delicious and truly Canadian dessert.
Thrilled it was part of your dinner and thrilled that it’ll become part of your rotation. As always, sounds like you nailed the accompaniments – you can almost never go wrong with strawberries!
Bonjour! I’m excited to make this recipe with my French classes tomorrow. I live in rural Vermont, and my students are bringing in maple syrup from their home sugaring operations to contribute to the activity.
Amazing, Alana! I know that Vermont and Quebec share a nice close bond, and though in Canada we only use our own syrups, I’ve heard nothing but equally good things about the local supply in Vermont. I hope you’ll all absolutely enjoy it. A truly “homemade” dessert in class today, if there ever was one!