Cape Brandy Pudding

This recipe for Cape Brandy Pudding is a remake from ages and ages ago on my first trip around my world in 80 plates (more like 150!).  However, it was delicious the first time, and we all needed reminding of it because it’s the perfect dessert to serve up for Valentine’s Day this week.  Crunch, appropriately boozy and all kinds of delicious, whether you’re in love with yourself, or with someone special.  

In fact, this recipe was inspired by someone special, my good friend Lynn and her foray to South Africa so many years ago. Here’s how the story goes.

I got the recipe from a South African cookbook donated to my cause by my other friend.  In reading it, it sounded a lot like Sticky Toffee Pudding, which you know that I’ve already made and love, but with one major distinction. Brandy.

Brandy in South Africa is a big deal and is the country’s most popular spirit.  From the early distillation of grapes all the way back in 1652, South African brandy distilleries are governed by some of the strictest production regulations in the world.  Who knew?  Despite this interesting tidbit, there’s another reason that I associate South Africa with brandy and I have Yam to thank for that.

I visited Lynn in Capetown around 2010.  It was the most impulsive travel purchase I’ve ever made at that point in my newly employed existence.  I started to consider the idea around 8:30 AM and by 10:30, I had bought a flight and was staring at my credit card, head in my hands asking myself what I had done.  I had given myself a little less than three weeks to get my act together which meant applying for a visa and getting the necessary vaccines for my week down there. What?!

Lynn moved down there to take a breather and gain some necessary perspective from her high stress, toxic D.C. life (she’d agree with me, and she no longer leads such a life!).  She had quit her job and spent three months volunteering in a women’s aid clinic and in watching her, I was really struck by how at-ease she seemed. You know how some people just click with a city? For me, it’s London.  All my friends seem to have a place that they’ve visited or lived where they left a part of their heart, and for Lynn it was Capetown.  In watching her, it’d been a long time since I’d seen her so comfortable, and I was happy for her.  One habit that Lynn seemed to adopt is that of a nightcap. I remember when I first met her my first year of law school, she barely drank at all and now she was having daily nightcaps?? Anyway, it was funny departure and I just went with it. And her liquor of choice? Brandy.

I’d highly recommend serving this cape brandy pudding with sweetened whipped cream and ice cream, and a brandy caramel if you need a little something more, but if not, it’s pretty perfect, just as it is.

As are you.