Steamed School Pudding Food

SCHOOLDAYS TREACLE SPONGE

Steps:

• Use a small knob of butter to heavily grease a 1-litre pudding basin. In a small bowl, mix the golden syrup with the breadcrumbs and brandy, if using, then tip into the pudding basin.
• Beat butter with sugar and zest until light and fluffy, then add eggs gradually. Fold in the flour, then finally add the milk.
• Spoon the mix into the pudding basin. Cover with a double layer of buttered foil and baking paper, making a pleat in the centre to allow the pudding to rise. Tie the foil securely with string, then place in a steamer or large pan containing enough gently simmering water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Steam for 1½ hrs. Turn out onto a serving dish. Serve with lashings of clotted cream and a little extra golden syrup drizzled over if you wish.

AS-YOU-LIKE-IT STEAMED PUDDING

Steps:

• Generously grease a 1.2-litre pudding basin and put your chosen topping in the base. Boil a kettle of water. To prepare your steamer, put a snugly fitting upturned bowl in the base of a large, deep saucepan, big enough to hold the pudding.
• Put the ingredients for the sponge in a food processor and blend until smooth (but don't overwork the mix), then tip into the pudding basin. Cover with a lid made of baking parchment and foil, and tie with string to secure (see step-by-step). Stand the pudding on the upturned bowl in your saucepan. Pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the side of the pudding basin. Set over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and leave to steam for 2½ hrs, topping up with boiling water if the level gets too low.
• Check the pudding is cooked by inserting a skewer through the foil and parchment lid into the centre of the pudding. If the skewer still has some wet mixture on it, return the pudding to the steamer for a further 15-20 mins, then check again. Once cooked, uncover and turn the pudding onto a plate. Serve straight away with custard, if you like.

STEAMED CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Beat in egg. Stir in chocolate. Combine the flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well just until combined. , Pour into a well-greased 7-cup pudding mold; cover. Place mold on a rack in a stockpot; add 1 in. of hot water to pan. Bring to a gentle boil; cover and steam for 2 to 2-1/4 hours or until top springs back when lightly touched, adding water as needed. , Remove mold to a wire rack; cool for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in water until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in the butter, vanilla and nutmeg. , Unmold pudding onto a serving plate; cut into wedges. Serve warm with sauce.

RASPBERRY & COCONUT STEAMED SPONGE

Steps:

• Butter six small pudding basins and spoon 1 tbsp jam into the bottom of each one.
• Put the butter and sugar in a medium bowl and beat with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Beat in one of the eggs followed by a spoonful of the flour, then continue until all the eggs have been incorporated. Fold in the remaining flour, the coconut and a pinch of salt, then the vanilla and coconut cream. Spoon the mix into the prepared basins, leaving a 1cm gap at the top.
• Put the basins on a baking tray, transfer to the freezer and freeze until solid. Will keep in an airtight container, or tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to three months.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Put the basins in a deep baking dish and half-fill with boiled water from the kettle. Tightly cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hr, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of a sponge comes out clean.
• Warm the custard with the remaining 2 tbsp coconut cream, if using, and pour into shallow bowls. Run a knife around the sides of the basins and carefully turn out the sponges onto the custard.

QUICK STEAMED PUDDING

Steps:

• Melt butter and golden syrup together and put in bottom of pudding basin.
• Beat all other ingredients to a pikelet/crepe batter and pour into basin.
• In a large pot bring enough water to come halfway up basin to a boil.
• Put uncovered basin in water and place lid on pot.
• Steam for 1/2hour.
• Serve with custard or cream if wished.