Spotted dick and custard
Recreate the best of nursery puddings from school dinner days with this traditional steamed pudding.
Ingredients
For the spotted dick
- 300g/10oz plain flour
- 10g/2 tsp baking powder
- 150g/5oz shredded suet
- 75g/3oz caster sugar
- 110g/4oz currants
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 200ml/7fl oz milk
- butter, for greasing
For the custard
- 200ml/7fl oz milk
- 200ml/7fl oz double cream
- 6 free-range egg yolks
- 75g/3oz caster sugar
Method
For the spotted dick, place the flour, baking powder, shredded suet, caster sugar, currants and lemon zest into a bowl and mix to combine.
Add the milk and stir to make a soft dough.
Grease a pudding basin with butter and spoon the mixture into the basin. Cover with a piece of folded greaseproof paper.
Tie around the edge with string to secure the paper and place a damp tea towel over the top. Tie once more with string to secure the tea towel.
Place the basin into a large lidded saucepan and fill the pan two-thirds of the way up with water.
Cover with the lid, bring to a boil and simmer for one hour.
For the custard, place the milk and cream into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Place the egg yolks and sugar into a bowl and whisk together until light and frothy.
Pour the hot milk onto the eggs, a little at a time, and stir well. Pour the mixture back into the pan and cook over a low heat, stirring with a wooden spatula, until just thickened.
To serve, slice a wedge of spotted dick for each person and place onto each of six plates. Pour over the custard and serve at once.
