Steamed Spotted Dick Recipes

SPOTTED DICK

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix the flour, suet, sugar, currants and 12 fl.oz. water to a soft dough.
• Shape into a long sausage and wrap in greaseproof paper.
• Fill a pan that is large enough to take the dough sausage, allowing room to expand, with water.
• Bring to the boil.
• Dip a clean tea towel in hot water, wring it out and sprinkle it with flour.
• Roll up the pudding loosely in the cloth and tie at each end.
• Place the pudding in the pan and simmer for 2 hours.
• Remove the tea towel and greaseproof paper, sprinkle with sugar and serve warm with custard.

SPOTTED DICK

Steps:

• Butter bowl or ramekins, then dust with flour, knocking out excess. On parchment paper, trace circle slightly larger than diameter of bowl (or 8 circles slightly larger than ramekins). Cut out.
• Fill large, shallow, wide saucepan with 1 inch water. Add flat steamer or equally sized cookie cutters to create steaming platform just above water level.
• In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat together butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar until pale and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl periodically. Beat in vanilla.
• Sift flour into medium bowl. Gradually beat flour into egg mixture just until combined. Add 3 tablespoons milk and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add raisins and beat just until combined.
• Transfer batter to prepared bowl or ramekins, smoothing top. Top bowl or ramekins with parchment paper circle(s), gently pressing on paper to make contact with batter.
• Over moderately high heat, bring water in steamer to simmer. Transfer bowl or ramekins to steamer, cover pan tightly, lower heat to moderate, and steam, adding more boiling water to pan if necessary, until pudding is set, about 2 hours for bowl or 1 hour for ramekins.
• Meanwhile, make custard sauce: In large bowl, whisk together custard powder, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons milk to form paste. In medium saucepan over moderate heat, bring remaining 2 cups plus 6 tablespoons milk to simmer. Whisking constantly, gradually add hot milk to custard paste. Return mixture to saucepan and cook, whisking constantly, until sauce thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Transfer pudding bowl or ramekins to rack and cool 5 minutes. Run paring knife around inside rim of bowl or ramekins and invert pudding(s) onto plate(s). Serve warm with custard sauce.

SPOTTED DICK

Steps:

• Put the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the suet, currants, sugar, lemon and orange zest.
• Pour in 150ml milk and mix to a firm but moist dough, adding the extra milk if necessary.
• Shape into a fat roll about 20cm long. Place on a large rectangle of baking parchment. Wrap loosely to allow for the pudding to rise and tie the ends with string like a Christmas cracker.
• Place a steamer over a large pan of boiling water, add the pudding to the steamer, cover and steam for 1½ hours. Top up the pan with water from time to time.
• Remove from the steamer and allow to cool slightly before unwrapping. Serve sliced with custard.

STEAMED APPLE SPOTTED DICK

Steps:

• Sift the flour, baking powder, spice and a bit of salt into a large bowl.
• Stir in the suet, sugar, currants, apple and lemon zest.
• Add the milk, stirring to form a sticky dough.
• Spoon the mixture into 6 greased 150-200ml pudding basins, topped with a disc of baking parchment and covered tightly with foil.
• Place in a large saucepan or deep roasting tin and add enough boiling water to come three quarters of the way up the tin.
• Cook for 2 hours, keeping the water on a gentle simmer and topping up occasionally with more boiling water.
• Carefully lift the basins out of the pan and remove the foil and paper.
• Turn out of the moulds and serve topped with a drizzle of golden syrup, custard or ice cream if you like (though the last choice is not as English).
• You can also do this in one large 1.2 litre pudding basin. Just be sure to butter it, spoon in the mixture and cover with pleated baking paper, followed by a layer of foil.
• Tie with string and steam for 2-1/2 hours.
• Goes well with a dessert wine or a late harvest.

SPOTTED DICK

Steps:

• Set a round wire rack in bottom of a large stockpot. Set a 5-cup pudding basin or ovenproof bowl (or two 3-cup basins) 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. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut in butter until pieces are no larger than small peas. Stir in sugar, lemon zest, and currants. Stir in lemon juice, then eggs and milk; stir until combined.
• Transfer batter to 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, and 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 2 hours, adding boiling water occasionally to maintain level.
• Transfer pudding to a wire rack. Let cool 10 minutes. Run a knife around edge of bowl to loosen; invert pudding onto a serving plate. Serve warm, with creme anglaise if desired.

SPOTTED DICK! TRADITIONAL BRITISH STEAMED FRUIT SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• Grease a 600 ml (1 pint) pudding basin.
• Mix together the dry ingredients.
• Add the egg and sufficient milk to produce a smooth dropping consistency.
• Place the mixture into prepared pudding basin.
• Cover with pleated greaseproof paper and foil and steam for about 1½ hours.
• Turn out and serve hot with custard or syrup.