Along with Jam Roly Poly, Spotted Dick has been a widely eaten pudding since its first appearance in Alexis Soyer’s The Modern Housewife or Ménagère of 1849. Like it’s jammy relative this currant filled steamed pudding was regularly served in school dining halls and traditional English restaurants. The name has often been regarded as an amusing double entendre, and in the Houses of Parliament it was renamed ‘Spotted Richard’ to avoid causing offence.
Equipment
800ml pudding basin
Measuring jug
Weighing scales
Large mixing bowl
Baking paper
Kitchen foil
String
Large lidded saucepan
Preparation method
Grease the pudding basin with butter and place a buttered disc of baking paper in the bottom of the basin. This is to ensure the top of your pudding won’t stick when you turn it out.
Sift the flour and salt into the large mixing bowl, add the suet, currants, sugar, lemon and orange zest and stir thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and mix to a firm but moist dough adding extra milk if necessary.
Place the pudding batter into the prepared pudding basin and cover with a disc of buttered baking paper.
Make a pleat in a piece of kitchen foil and cover the basin with it, ensuring that the pleat is placed at the centre of the basin. Secure the foil with string tied under the rim of the basin, making sure you create a ‘handle’ with which you can remove the pudding from the hot water.
Place the pudding in the large-lidded saucepan and fill with boiling water two thirds up the sides of the pudding basin. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cover the saucepan and steam for 1 and ½ hours making sure you check the level of the water and top up from the kettle if necessary.
Allow to cool slightly before removing from the hot water and turning out onto a serving dish. Serve with custard.
