Coffee cans, pudding molds, and Boston brown bread

“Where can I get a metal coffee can these days?” a friend asked.

He wanted to make Boston brown bread but he was perplexed. The recipe called for the bread to be steamed in a coffee can. Since few of us buy coffee in cans anymore, he didn’t know how he could cook it.

I’m writing a book about puddings so I realized what the problem was. First, I explained that Boston brown bread is actually a kind of pudding – think English and plum rather than creamy and chocolate.

At one time, such puddings were steamed in metal pudding molds, which you can still buy. They are roughly the size and shape of coffee cans, though they usually have a more decorative look.

Before cooks had such molds, though, puddings were boiled in cloths or pudding bags. Cooks poured the pudding mixture onto a square of sturdy floured cloth, tied it up into a rough bag shape, submerged it in a pot of water or broth, and boiled it. Often they boiled up some vegetables and maybe some meat along with the pudding.

They also made puddings in deep pie pans or pottery basins. They buttered the container, poured the mixture in, then tied a cloth over the top, and put it in a pot with just enough water to steam the pudding.

When pudding molds began to be made, cooks switched to the molds since they were easier to use.

However, lots of home cooks didn’t have pudding molds, so they made do with whatever they had. They used tin pails and buckets. They steamed individual puddings in sturdy teacups. When coffee began to be sold in metal cans, they used those.

Now we’ve forgotten that the coffee cans were a substitute and think of them as the actual kitchen utensil.

So I told my friend that if he can’t find a metal coffee can, he can make his Boston brown bread in a cloth, or an earthenware basin, or several sturdy coffee mugs or teacups, or a metal mixing bowl. Or he can borrow my pudding molds.

Boston brown bread

Half cup each of cornmeal, rye flour, and whole wheat flour
One teaspoon baking soda
Half teaspoon salt
One-third cup molasses
One cup milk
Half cup raisins or currants
Butter

Grease a one-quart pudding mold or a one-pound coffee can or the basin or cups (see above).

Stir the dry ingredients together in a bowl.

Add the molasses and milk and stir until smooth. Mix in the raisins or currants.
Pour into buttered container. The mixture should fill the container with about one-third left for the bread to rise. Cover the top with foil and tie around the container with kitchen string.

Put the mold in a large pot and pour in boiling water halfway up the sides of the mold.

Either steam on the stovetop or in an oven preheated to 325 degrees for two hours. Test for doneness by inserting a thin knife or skewer into the bread. If it comes our sticky, continue cooking. When the skewer comes out clean, it’s done. 

Let the bread rest for an hour or so, then serve warm. It’s also good toasted the next day.

Comments

[Jeri Quinzio]

Another great idea for finding tins for the bread. Thanks Tim.
Jeri

[Tim]

Chock Full of Nuts coffee still in the metal cans. I only use them each once. They don't clean and reuse well. Just made the Thanksgiving batch of 6.

[Jeri Quinzio]

Using large soup cans is a great idea, Ann.

Thanks so much.
Jeri

[Ann]

I have found the 18oz, large, condensed soup cans are a good size.

[Jeri Quinzio]

True, but I did find pudding molds online for not much money. It's worth doing,even if you only use them once in a while. Good luck.

[Sue Conrad]

Unfortunately, one-pound coffee/vegetable cans are unavailable these days, and steamed pudding molds aren't exactly easy to locate, either!!

[Michael Slayne]

hmm, hadn't made an actual home bread in years...I feel kinda motivated by reading your article and I think I'll try tonight to bake that Boston brown bread. Sounds good and thanks for the recipee