Steamed Apple Spotted Dick Food

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.

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.