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Jan in de Zak

A steamed bread pudding boiled in a cloth and served warm with melting butter and dark syrup — the old Dutch ‘John in the bag’.

⏱ 20 minPrep time
🔥 45 minCook time
🍽 6Servings
🏷 DinnerCategory
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Jan in de Zak

Jan in de zak is a homely Dutch pudding-cake: a softly steamed, raisin-studded loaf that is tender and moist, closer to a bread pudding than a cake. It is served warm, drowned in a sweet cherry sauce or golden syrup.

The name hints at the traditional method of steaming the batter wrapped in a cloth or pudding mold. It is old-fashioned, comforting cooking at its best, and the sauce is non-negotiable.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Butter a 6-cup pudding mold or heatproof bowl and line the bottom with parchment.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; stir in the milk, egg, brown sugar, melted butter, and raisins until smooth.
  3. Pour the batter into the mold and cover tightly with buttered foil.
  4. Set the mold in a large pot with simmering water reaching halfway up the sides; steam, covered, for about 45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
  5. Meanwhile, simmer the cherries with the sugar and cornstarch until glossy and thickened.
  6. Unmold the warm pudding, slice, and serve with the hot cherry sauce.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Keep the water at a gentle simmer and top it up as it evaporates. Serve warm — the pudding firms up as it cools.

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Recipe details

Prep20 min
Cook45 min
Servings6
CategoryDinner
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →