Classic Southern Chess Pie vs Traditional Steamed Treacle Sponge Pudding with Custard

Both desserts lean on butter, sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla, yet they put them to very different work. The chess pie whisks melted butter, plenty of sugar and whole eggs into one filling with a spoonful of cornmeal and a splash of cider vinegar, then bakes it in a crust until the edges set while the centre keeps a slight wobble. The treacle pudding creams softened butter and sugar into a light sponge, steams it over golden treacle, and is turned out alongside a warm vanilla custard thickened with egg yolks and cornflour.