Blood Orange Treacle Pudding Recipes

BLOOD-ORANGE TREACLE PUDDING

Steps:

• Make the pudding: Set a round wire rack in the bottom of a large stockpot. Set a 5-cup pudding basin or ovenproof bowl on rack. Fill pot with enough water to come about three-quarters of the way up sides of basin. Remove basin; dry, and butter inside. Set aside. Cover pot, and bring to a boil.
• Butter a 10-inch round of parchment paper; set aside. Pour golden syrup into prepared basin. Add 1 teaspoon orange zest and the orange juice; set basin aside. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Put sugar and remaining teaspoon zest into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed 30 seconds. Add butter; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition (mixture will look curdled). Add flour mixture in 2 additions, alternating with milk, and mix until combined.
• Pour pudding into prepared basin. Place parchment round, buttered side down, over basin. Make a pleat in center of parchment. Cover with an 11-inch round of foil. Make a pleat in center of foil to allow room for pudding to expand. Cut a piece of kitchen twine about 7 feet long. Wrap twine twice around basin over foil, just below lip. Knot to secure. Tie loose ends to twine on other side of basin, creating a handle.
• Carefully lower pudding into boiling water; cover pot. Return to a boil; reduce to a simmer, and steam until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of pudding registers 180 degrees, about 1 1/2 hours, adding boiling water occasionally to maintain level.
• Meanwhile, make the candied zest if desired: Using a paring knife, peel oranges, trying not to get any white pith with the skin. Slice into very thin threads. Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add zest, and simmer until tender and translucent, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely in syrup.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: Put golden syrup, orange juice, lemon juice, and salt into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until thick and syrupy, about 7 minutes.
• Transfer pudding to a wire rack. Let cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of bowl to loosen, and invert onto a plate. Serve warm with sauce, and garnish with candied zest if desired.

EASY TREACLE SPONGE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix the syrup, lemon zest, juice and breadcrumbs and spread over the base of a 1.5 litre baking dish.
• Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one by one. Stir in the flour and milk and dollop over the syrup. Bake for 35-40 mins until golden and risen, and a skewer poked into the sponge comes out clean-ish. Eat with lots of custard, cream or ice cream and extra dribbles of syrup.

HEALTHIER TREACLE SPONGE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush 6 x 200ml pudding tins with the ¼ tsp oil, then sit them on a baking tray. Stir together 4 tbsp of the golden syrup, the orange zest and 2 tbsp orange juice and spoon a little into the bottom of each tin (step 1).
• Tip the flour, baking powder, sugar (breaking up any lumps with your fingers) and ground almonds into a large mixing bowl and make a dip in the centre. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then stir in the yogurt and treacle. Pour this mixture, along with the melted butter and remaining 2 tbsp oil, into the dry mixture (step 2) and stir together briefly with a large metal spoon, just so everything is well combined. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins (step 3). Bake for 20-25 mins or until the puddings have risen to the top of the tins and feel firm.
• Mix together the remaining 1 tbsp golden syrup and 1 tsp orange juice to drizzle over as a sauce. To serve, if the pudding tops have peaked slightly, slice off to level so they sit upright when turned out. Loosen around the sides with a round-bladed knife (step 4), then turn them out onto plates. Scrape out any syrupy bits remaining in the tins and put on top of the puddings, then drizzle a little of the syrup sauce over and around each one.