This is a recipe I first posted about 8 or so years ago when I first started this blog.  I felt that it needed updating, and certainly needed better photographs than the original one I had.  That was very early on in my food blogging days, and I really didn't know what I was doing and I did not have a very nice camera.  Since then I have integrated things into the blog like posting dual measurements, for both North America and over here, and I must admit, much nicer photographs. At least I think they are!


I have to confess when I first heard the name of this British Pudding I was quite captivated. It sounded quite rude and I remember giggling rather nervously when someone mentioned it. It did rather intrigue me though. I suspect this is a rather naughty name given to it by rather naughty school boys.


Once I tasted it, I was truly smitten, and could well understand how this was one of Todd's favourite desserts, or puddings as they are lovingly referred to over here. My first taste of it was from a tin that we had bought at the local shops, which in no way compares to the real thing, made with your own little hands. Imagine a sweet, slightly stodgy but light dough studded with sweet currants, served up warm with lashings of lovely sweet custard . . . this truly is good.


I have also heard this pudding referred to as spotted dog and figgy duff. It's quite like a roly poly, studded with dried fruits, or in this case dried currants. By a roly poly I mean a sweet suet dough shaped into a sausage, wrapped and tied in greaseproof paper and then steamed until done.


Note - Alternately you can spoon the dough into a buttered pudding basin (medium sized).  Cover lightly with a sheet of pleated buttered greaseproof paper and secure with a string, then steam, covered, over simmering water in the top of a double boiler for the same length of time.



*Proper Custard*
Makes about 3 cups
Printable Recipe


This is also known as creme anglaise. Be sure not to let the mixture boil once the eggs are added, or you wil end up with a curdled mess. You only need to heat it up enough to cook the eggs. The custard is ready when it coats the back of a wooden spoon.


8 egg yolks
75g caster sugar (a generous 1/3 cup)
300ml whole milk  (1 1/4 cup)
300ml double cream (1 1/4 cup)
1 vanilla pod, split


Beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until well blended. Place the milk and cream in a saucepan with the vanilla. Scrape the insides of the vanilla pod into the mixture before you add it. Bring the mixture just to the boil.


Pour a little of this mixture into the eggs to temper them, and beat it together well. Pour this back into the pan and whisk together. Return to the heat and using a whisk, lightly stir until it begins to thicken. DO NOT BOIL.


As the egg yolks warm, the cream will get thicker and create a custard. Keep stirring until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and pass through a fine sieve. Leave to cool a bit before using. Serve warm or allow to cool completely,stirring occasionally.
The dish was originally mentioned in Alexis Soyer's "The modern Housewife or ménagère", published in 1849, in which he described a recipe for "Plum Bolster, or Spotted Dick".  The name has long been a source of amusement or embarassed titters.  Whatever the case . . . its delicious and well worth the time and effort to make it.  Bon Appetit!

 
This is the perfect dessert for this time of year.   Late summer.   We are just getting to the end of the strawberries and the Blueberries and raspberries are at their best.   Let's get ready to crumble!!

 
I actually used frozen blueberries and strawberries for this.  Our blueberry bushes are not really producing this year for some reason.  We are getting only a berry or two at a time.  We need to change something obviously.  Any advice? Our strawberries are long since done, but I had frozen berries.  So what I did was I just gently mixed them with the raspberries and put them into the oven for about 10 minutes before I added the remaining ingredients. You could also add blackberries.


 
The topping has just the right amount of buttery and crispness . . .  part of it sinks down into the fruit thickening the juices.  It's just delightful.   Especially when served up with dollops of clotted cream.   All that rich cream melting down into the fruit and buttery crumble.   Oh so moreishly scrumptious.  We quite, quite love this.


80g sugar (scant half cup) 


 Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.

Butter a six cup deep casserole dish.  Gently mix the berries and pour them into the dish.  Scatter the white chocolate bits over top.

 
Measure the flour and sugar into a bowl.  Drop in the butter.  Rub it into the dry mixture with your finger tips until the mixture resembles dry bread crumbs.  Sprinkle this evenly over top of the fruit. 

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crumble topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling up.   Serve warm with or without lashings of cream! 


We actually had ours with clotted cream.  In for a penny, in for a pound and all that!  Bon Appetit!

I have a really delicious recipe to show you here today that you are just going to love.  This is absolutely fabulous!  

Easy Lemon Refrigerator Dessert, is a dessert which requires absolutely no cooking involved or needed.  

If you can use a hand mixer, then you can make this and your family will be so impressed with the end result, they will think you slaved all day!
 

We are having one set of the Missionary Elders for supper tonight (Friday as I write this). As you know I always love to spoil the missionaries.  I know how hard they work.  

One of the things I love most about this time of year is Strawberry Shortcake.  Of course my mom made the best strawberry shortcake.  She used biscuits and filled with them crushed berries and whipped cream, or ice cream, depending on what she had ready to hand. You can find that recipe here.  Its not low fat or low sugar, but it is high on deliciousness!



We grow our own strawberries and they are coming fast and furious at the moment.  It is a race to see who will get to them first, us, or the birds  . . .  or the slugs.  Meh!  Everyone's got to eat I guess!


When I saw this recipe for a lightened up version for Strawberry Shortcake, I really wanted to try it out. It didn't use the biscuits my mother always used, but it did include a delicious low fat and sugar sponge.  It sounded quite promising!


I had some sour milk in the refrigerator left from when we were on our holiday and so I used that instead of regular milk, adapting the recipe to do so.  The cake worked out beautifully and is light and moist . . .  not very sweet, but you can't have it all.


If I could choose to do anything differently it would be to crush the berries lightly instead of just slicing them.  I think crushed berries would be even nicer.


No, it did not compare to my mothers . . .  not in the least, but it was still very good.  And I won't complain about that!


So, if you are looking for a cake that you can have and eat too, then this might be the one.  The cake on its own would be lovely split and filled with whipped cream and lemon curd . . .  just saying.  It's a great basic cake.


I am sitting here imagining it split and filled with all sorts . . .  crushed raspberries, peaches . . . rhubarb compote!  Mmmm . . .



Cool completely before serving.  To serve cut into squares and split.  Place the bottom halves on serving plates. Top each with some of the prepared berries and 1 TBS of light topping.  Place the top of the cake squares on top.  Garnish with another TBS of lilght topping and some more sliced berries.  Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.