Bon Appetit Wednesday! Chocolate and Wattleseed Self-Saucing Pudding

Emu, crocodile, eels and kangaroo! If you’re not from Australia you might think this is a list of animals to see at the zoo rather than an ingredient list. For thousands of years, the native Aborigines of Australia have used the foods provided by the land around them. In the past several years modern Australians have looked to this past and discovered a rich culinary history. One of these delicious native foods is the wattleseed from the acacia tree. Today we’re bringing you a unique and indulgent dessert called Chocolate and Wattleseed Self-Saucing Pudding. And don’t worry if you can’t find wattleseeds at your local grocery store. They can easily be ordered online.

Golden Wattle, the floral emblem of Australia. Image courtesy of Melburnian.

There are nearly 600 varieties of acacia trees native to Australia, but only about 120 of these species are not poisonous.[1] It is believed that the Aborigines have been eating the wattleseed for over 6,000 years.[2] In fact, it is such an important part of the Australian diet that the wattle flower is the Australian emblem. The ancient Aborigines recognized the important nutritional value of the wattleseed and were able to determine and avoid the poisonous varieties. They ground the nutty, richly flavored seeds into a flour that could be baked into cakes using ovens made out of hot coals and holes in the ground.[3] Even the ripe green seeds were eaten after baking in these same ovens.[4]

A wonderful feature of the wattleseed is its resistance to prolonged drought, which made it a perfect food for ancient Aborigines to rely upon for sustenance. Also, like many foods of the Aboriginal peoples, it has a beautiful relationship with nature. The acacia trees provide food and shelter for animals and they propagate whenever fire sweeps the land. Finally, when even a few raindrops fall, the seeds begin to germinate.[5] With a low glycemic index, healthy, unsaturated fats and a variety of uses the wattleseed is truly a power food.

So enjoy this decadent dessert spiced by the ancient and wonderful wattleseed!

Chocolate and Wattleseed Self-Saucing Pudding

*Recipe courtesy of Season with Saltbush blog.

Ingredients

Pudding:

2 oz. of butter or dairy spread, softened
1/2 cup of raw sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence
1 cup of self-rising flour
1/2 cup of milk
1 heaped dessert-spoon of cocoa
1 heaped dessert-spoon of ground wattleseed

Sauce:

1/2 cup of raw sugar
2 heaped dessert-spoons of cocoa
1 3/4 cup of hot water

Instructions

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl (suitable for baking or microwaving). Add egg and vanilla essence, mixing well.
Sift the flour, cocoa and ground wattleseed into the bowl, adding the milk as you stir to combine.
To make the sauce, combine cocoa and sugar before sprinkling it over the top of the pudding. Pour over the hot water. Cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap. Microwave for 7 and a half minutes on high. This might vary depending on your microwave; you can skewer the pudding to make sure it is cooked. Alternatively, leave off the plastic wrap and bake in a moderate oven (180 C) for about 45 minutes.
Serve hot with ice cream and/or cream. Enjoy!

*Substitute plain ground coffee for wattleseed if wattleseed cannot be found.

[1] Bush food: wattleseed. (2013, November 12). theguardian.com. Retrieved June 22, 2014, from http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/13/wattleseeds-backyard-delicacy-inspiring-chefs

[2] Wattleseed. (n.d.). : Substitutes, Ingredients, Equivalents. Retrieved June 22, 2014, from http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/ingredients/detail/wattleseed

[3] . (n.d.). . Retrieved June 22, 2014, from http://tasteaustralia.biz/bushfood/wattleseed/

[4] Ibid.

[5] http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/nov/13/wattleseeds-backyard-delicacy-inspiring-chefs