Showing posts with label steamed puddings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label steamed puddings. Show all posts
The recipe I am sharing with you today is for a steamed pudding. When you see the word steamed pudding, you might be a bit confused. When I refer to pudding here I am not referring to the North American style of pudding which is more like a custard. I am referring to a British pudding, which is a soft, moist, cake-like treat!
Actually "pudding" is the term that most British use to refer to as "dessert." This is a cake type of "pudding." Sweet, rich and stodgy and meant to be enjoyed cut into wedges, served warm with lashings of custard or cream.
Steamed Puddings are something which the British do very well, and today's recipe has been adapted from the National Trust Complete Recipe Book. The National Trust is an organization in the U.K. It is the largest conservation charity in Europe caring for loads of forests, coastlines, gardens, and historical properties in the U.K.
Most of their gardens and properties also have an associated, gift shop and tea room or cafe. I love their recipe books as the recipes in them hold great historic value, and are very traditional. Such is the case with this Dolbury Pudding recipe I am sharing today.
This steamed pudding recipe comes from the restaurant at Killerton, which is an 18th century house set in the countryside of East Devon, situated in the South West of the UK. It was so named as it is said to resemble Dolbury Hill which rises above the back on the house.
I can totally see that!
It also kind of resembles a hat to me! But most steamed puddings do. You will need a pudding basin or a deep, wide heat proof bowl to steam this pudding in. I have a Mason Cash Pudding basin. It holds 2 1/2 pints, which is about 6 North American cups. In Canada you can purchase a Pudding Basin here.
You might be slightly intimidated by the idea of steaming a pudding. You shouldn't be. They are really quite easy to do. I actually found an excellent tutorial on how to steam a pudding on the Mason Cash site, which takes all of the mystery out of it. There are also several very tasty looking recipes.
What you have here is a beautifully moist and stodgy sponge cake, studded throughout with lots of lovely bits of apple and the fruit from the mincemeat which is used in the filling.
Sweet and slightly spicey, from the warm baking spices used in the mincemeat. Most years I will make my own mincemeat from scratch, using Delia's fail-proof recipe. Its an excellent version. For today's pudding I used a quality store bought mincemeat. Prepare to fall in love with this lovely, rich and delicious pudding!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE DOLBURY PUDDING
Aside from the pudding basin/bowl and a pot large enough to steam it in, pretty basic baking ingredients.
- 1/2 cup (110g) butter at room temperature
- 2 TBS lard
- 3/4 cup (150g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large free range eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 2/3 cup (200g) chopped peeled and cored apple
- 1 scant cup (200g) prepared mincemeat (the type you use at Christmas to make tarts_
- 2 cups (225g) self rising flour
- a little milk if necessary
I used regular salted butter and Tender Flake Lard. If you are measuring your sugar by the cup, make sure you pack the cup. I usually do all of my baking/cooking by weight as it is much more accurate.
Self rising flour can be a bone of contention for some. It is not readily available in many places here in North America. I make my own self rising flour. It is very easily done. I make 3 cups of it at a time. For every 1 cup (140g) of flour, whisk in 1 1/2 tsp. of baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt. Like I said I make it up 3 cups at a time and it always gets used up.
A lot of British cakes and bakes call for self rising flour.
The recipe did not specify the apple to be used. I happened to have some Gravensteins so that is what I used. I think an apple that holds its shape well when cooked would be preferable to one which will turn to mush. Use one with a nice apple flavor.
Mincemeat is a store-cupboard favorite in the U.K. and I always keep a few jars of it here in my own kitchen. You can buy it in most grocery stores. It is a tasty mixture of dried fruit, distilled spirits, spices and suet or butter. Usually the fruits are currants, raisins, candied peel and apples.
At one time it used to actually contain minced "meat." Usually beef or venison, but you will find that these days, unless it is homemade, it doesn't contain any meat at all, and that is how I like it. Meatless.
I use a lot of it during the Christmas season and actually I use it a fair bit in baking all the year through. If you would like to make your own as I do, click the link above for Delia's recipe. It is exceptional.
HOW TO MAKE DOLBURY PUDDING
Don't be afraid. This is really very easy to make. The cook time is a bit long, but really its not hard at all. I actually wonder if you might be able to use the Instant Pot or slow cooker to steam this type of pudding. I am going to experiment with that I think. In the meantime, do make it in the conventional way!
Butter a 2 - 2 1/2 pint pudding basin or heat proof bowl really well. Cut out a round of parchment paper and place in the bottom of the basin.
Cream the butter, lard and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little bit at a time until thoroughly combined. Stir in the apples and the mincemeat.
Fold in the flour gently. If the batter is too thick, you can stir in a bit of milk. It should have a soft dropping consistency. Spoon into the pudding basin, leveling the top.
Cover the basin loosely with a double layer of pleated parchment paper or a sheet of heavy aluminum foil, pleated. Secure with a string. (As I said there is an exceptional tutorial on how to do this here. I highly recommend you watching it.)
Place onto a metal trivet in a pan of boiling water which should come halfway up the sides of the pudding basin. Cover and steam for 2 hours.
Serve warm, cut into wedges, with any sort of fruit sauce, custard or cream.
This was really delicious. It was everything that a good steamed pudding should be. Nice and moist, a little bit stodgy, a lot bit tasty.
I served it with lashings of warm custard. Ice cream would also be nice as would lashings of cream. Or even whipped cream. You can find my custard recipe here. It is usually served warm.
STEAMED JAM SPONGE PUDDING - Moist and delicious, coated with sweet jam. Some of the jam soaks into the cake which adds to its deliciousness. Traditionally it is decorated with sweetened desiccated coconut.
STEAMED MARMALADE PUDDING - Rich, sticky and somewhat reminiscent of gingerbread, this is a real favorite. I make a custard sauce to go with this that is infused with Grand Marnier for a really special finish. Altogether very delicious!
Yield: 4 - 6
Dolbury Pudding
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 15 M
A delicious steamed pudding, studded with plenty of diced apple and spicy mincemeat. Lovely served warm with lashings of warm custard.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (110g) butter at room temperature
- 2 TBS lard
- 3/4 cup (150g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large free range eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 2/3 cup (200g) chopped peeled and cored apple
- 1 scant cup (200g) prepared mincemeat (the type you use at Christmas to make tarts_
- 2 cups (225g) self rising flour
- a little milk if necessary
Instructions
- Butter a 2 - 2 1/2 pint pudding basin or heat proof bowl really well. Cut out a round of parchment paper and place in the bottom of the basin.
- Cream the butter, lard and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, a little bit at a time until thoroughly combined. Stir in the apples and the mincemeat.
- Fold in the flour gently. If the batter is too thick, you can stir in a bit of milk. It should have a soft dropping consistency. Spoon into the pudding basin, leveling the top.
- Cover the basin loosely with a double layer of pleated parchment paper or a sheet of heavy aluminum foil, pleated. Secure with a string.
- Place onto a metal trivet in a pan of boiling water which should come halfway up the sides of the pudding basin. Cover and steam for 2 hours.
- Serve warm, cut into wedges, with any sort of fruit sauce, custard or cream.
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This coming Sunday in the UK is what is commonly known as Stir-Up Sunday. Stir-up Sunday is a term which has been used in the Anglican Church in the UK for the last Sunday before the season of Advent.
It gets its name from the beginning of the collect for the day in the Book of Common Prayer, which begins with the words, "Stir up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people".
Traditionally this has been the day each year that people make their Christmas Puddings! Its time to pop on some Christmas Music and your apron and begin your Christmas prep for this year's festivities.
Christmas is going to be a bit different for most people this year, but there is no reason why we can't still enjoy some of our traditional treats. When it comes to Christmas Puddings, Mary Berry's Christmas Pudding is a recipe which I have made many, many times. Like all of her recipes it is reliable and fool-proof!
Christmas (or Plum) Pudding is the traditional end to the British Christmas dinner. But what we think of as Christmas Pudding, is not what it was originally like!
Christmas pudding originated as a 14th century porridge called
'frumenty' that was made of beef and mutton with raisins, currants,
prunes, wines and spices. This was quite liquidy, would need to be eaten
with a spoon like a soup, and would have been a fasting meal during the
preparations up to Christmas.
The original I have to say does not sound very appealing! Needless to say it has changed an awful lot since then! Thank goodness!
Stir-up-Sunday is usually a family affair. Each family member is supposed to stir the mixture from East to West to honour the journey of the Magi. This ritual is also thought to bring the family luck and prosperity in the coming year.
At one time it was also customary to hide a number of small trinkets in
the mixture, a bit like the twelfth night cake. These charms often
included a silver coin (wealth), and a ring (future marriage). Woe
betide the guest who stumbled across a thimble in their serving. A
future of Spinsterhood was a cert for them! Nowadays this generally
isn't done, although my husband does remember his mom putting coins into
theirs.
The fruit mixture of the pudding is usually a mix of dried figs, currants, raisins, golden raisins, cherries and candied ginger. All are mixed together in a bowl the night before you go to make your pudding and a portion of brandy is poured over top and the fruit left to macerate in this overnight on the counter top. A clean towel over top to keep it safe from dust and insects. If you don't like to use alcohol, you can use orange juice in an equivalent amount.
Mary Berry's recipe differs slightly in that there is no figs or ginger, and you have no need to soak the fruit overnight, which is a bonus!
I am all for time saving if I can, and if Mary Berry only soaks her fruit for an hour, that's good enough for me! Softened butter is creamed together with soft light brown sugar, orange zest, and ground mixed spice.
(You can easily make your own mixed spice: Combine 1 TBS ground cinnamon, 1 tsp each of ground coriander and nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and all spice. Mix well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.)
Eggs also gets beaten into this, a bit at a time so it doesn't curdle. Don't worry if it does, you can always stir in a bit of the flour to fix this.
Fresh soft bread crumbs are also a part of the mix, along with chopped blanched almonds and self rising flour. You can make your own self raising flour by adding 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt to every cup of plain flour needed. I always make my own, especially now during the time of Covid when I can't always access what I need.
This mixture then gets added and stirred into the creamed mixture to
combine. Make sure everyone gives it a stir and makes a wish. Don't
forget East to West, just don't ask me which is which, lol!
If you are
putting trinkets in this is when you would do it. I would wrap them in
cling film first or waxed paper, and don't forget to warn any guests
that they are there when it comes to eating! You don't want anyone to choke on a trinket!
The pudding basin is prepared by generously brushing it with melted butter and placing a round of baking paper in the bottom.
Pack the pudding mixture into the prepared pudding basin, smoothing the
top out with the back of a wooden spoon.
Once you've done this tap the
bottom of the basin on the countertop a few times to settle and work out
any air holes.
This next bit is the most complicated part of the pudding. Creating the lid to
wrap it in. Lay a large piece of foil on the table, and top it with an
equal sized piece of baking paper. You then make a pleat in the paper,
bearing in mind that the baking paper will be the side against the
pudding. Butter the paper.
I fold them in half with the paper on the inside, and then, from about 2
inches down, I fold them back on themselves. It should look like this
on the paper side.
Wrap this over the top of your pudding basin, leaving plenty of room for
expansion, paper side towards the pudding. Tie it tightly onto the
bowl with some kitchen twine, bakers twine or even using a rubber band.
I use bakers twine and using a generous length, after I have knotted
it, I fashion a handle with the excess that I bring back over the top
and secure on the opposite side. This makes it easier to lift out of
the pan when its done.
Trim off the excess paper and foil so it looks nice and neat. Now you can either steam this pudding in the top of a double boiler over boiling water, or you can boil it placed onto a trivet in a large saucepan with water in it.
Just make sure the water doesn't come more than 3/4 of the way up the sides of the pudding and that the pudding basin doesn' t touch the bottom of the saucepan, or it might crack.
Tightly
covered, the saucepan is then put on a low heat and the pudding simmers
away for about 4 1/2 hours. Make sure you check it periodically and
top it up with more boiling water as needed. You don't want it boiling
dry.
At the end of that time, remove the pudding basin and let it cool
on a rack overnight. Once it is cold you can remove the old wrappings
and wrap it with clean new wrappings and then store it in a dark, cool
and dry place until Christmas Day! Instructions for re-heating are in
the recipe.
And there you have it a delicious Christmas Pudding, ready for the family to enjoy on Christmas Day!
This is a pudding that actually tastes better upon standing, as it "ripens". I have kept some for over a year in the past and they were still fabulous!
Whether you are only a few in number or many in number, this is a Christmas tradition that everyone enjoys! Mary recommends serving hers with Brandy Butter. (I have included the recipe.) It is also very good with warm custard or ice cream, or even simple pouring cream. Enjoy!
Mary Berry's Christmas Pudding
Yield: 6 - 8
prep time: 1 H & 15 Mcook time: 7 Hourtotal time: 8 H & 15 M
A traditional Christmas pudding courtesy of the great lady of British Cookery, Mary Berry herself.
Ingredients
For the pudding:
- 1 pound (450g) dried mixed fruit (sultanas, raisins, glace cherries and chopped dried apricots)
- 1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored and chopped
- the grated rind of one medium orange
- the juice of one medium orange
- 3 TBS brandy (plus extra to flame)
- 5 1/2 TBS butter, sofened, plus more to butter the pudding mold
- 1/2 cup (100g) soft light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 3/4 cup (100g) self-rising flour
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 2/3 cup (40g) soft white bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup (40g) whole blanched almonds, roughly chopped
For the Brandy Butter:
- scant 1/2 cup (100g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cup (8 ounces) sifted icing sugar
- 3 TBS brandy
To flame:
- 4 TBS brandy
Instructions
- Measure all of the fruit into a bowl. Add the brandy and orange juice. Leave to macerate for about an hour.
- Cream the butter together with the orange zest and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, until thoroughly combined. If the mixture starts to curdle stir in a spoonful of the flour.
- Sift together the flour and mixed spice. Fold this into the creamed mixture along with the bread crumbs and nuts. Stir in the soaked fruit along with any juices. Mix well together.
- Generously butter a 2 1/2 pint (5 cup) pudding basin. Cut a piece of baking paper into a circle large enough to cover the bottom of the basin.
- Spoon the pudding batter into the basin, smoothing over the top with the back of a spoon.
- Have ready a large piece of baking paper and a sheet of foil. Place the paper on top of the foil, making a pleat across the middle to allow for expansion. Tie securely over top of the pudding with some kitchen string. Trim off any excess.
- To Steam: put the pudding in the top of a steamer filled with simmering water, cover with a lid and steam for eight hours, topping up the water as necessary.
- To Boil: put a metal jam jar lid, or metal pan lid, into the base of a large pan to act as a trivet. Place a long, doubled strip of foil in the pan, between the trivet and the pudding basin, ensuring the ends of the strip reach up and hang over the edges of the pan. This will help you to lift the heavy pudding basin out of the pan of hot water when it has finished cooking. Lower the pudding onto the trivet and pour in enough boiling water to come half way up the side of the bowl. Cover with a lid, bring the water back to the boil, then simmer for about seven hours, until the pudding is a glorious deep brown colour, topping up the water as necessary.
- Once cooked, remove the pudding from the pan. Remove and discard the paper and foil. Replace with fresh. Store, covered, in a dry cool place.
- On Christmas Day make the brandy butter by beaing the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the sifted icing sugar until smooth. Stir in the brandy and spoon into a serving dish. Cover and chill until needed.
- Steam or boil the pudding for about two hours to reheat. Turn onto a decorative, heat proof serving plate. To flame, warm the brandy or rum in a small saucepan. Pour it over the hot pudding and very carefuly set light to it with a match.
- Serve the pudding hot, spooned into bowls with a dab of brandy butter on top. Pouring cream goes very nicely with this.
notes:
To make your own mixed spice: Combine 1 TBS ground cinnamon, 1 tsp each of ground coriander and nutmeg, 1/2 tsp of ground ginger, 1/4 tsp each of ground cloves and all spice. Mix well and store in an airtight container out of the light for up to 6 months.
To make your own self-rising flour: You can make your own self raising flour by adding 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt to every cup of plain flour needed.
You really cannot fault any of Mary Berry's recipes. If you follow them scrupulously, they always turn out and are fail proof! I have never had a failure with any of them!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I have always loved prunes. I used to make a beautiful Prune & Apricot Coffee Cake, which I haven't made in a very long while. Note to self: As soon as the oven is fixed, bake one.
We tend to associate prunes with the elderly and care homes . . . tinned yucky prunes that have a really pasty consistency and are blecch. (Sorry, don't like tinned prunes!)
Ready to eat, dried pitted prunes however, are lovely. Sticky and sweet, sightly chewy. As appealing as raisins or dried apricots.
This recipe I am sharing today is one that comes from this book. A Thousand Ways to Please a Husband, by Louise Bennett Weaver and Helen Cowles LeCron. It was originally published in 1917, and reads like a diary. Its quite good actually. I have cooked a few things from it, and all are very good.
The original recipe actually called for finely chopped Dates. I couldn't find any in my larder, so I used prunes instead . . . with great success!
I also added chopped toasted walnuts . . . for a bit of interest and crunch.
A simple batter containing soft bread crumbs, flour, baking powder, eggs, milk, sugar and suet . . . beaten together. I added some vanilla and lemon extracts.
Some people don't like to use Suet, or have a problem finding it. You can use frozen vegetable shortening, grated if you wish, and you could also use butter, but, personally, I think butter would make it very rich.
It is a steamed pudding . . . you simply mix the batter together and then pop it into a buttered pudding basin, or buttered individual pudding basins. If you do it as one large pudding, it will take roughly twice the time as the individual ones.
Don't worry if you don't have individual pudding basins, you can also use custard cups . . . even small tins, about the size of a mandarin tin. Just make sure you butter them well.
There is a lovely lemon sauce that you can also make to spoon over the finished puddings . . .
Its lush and low in fat . . . but large on flavour . . . don't be tempted to skip it. Its gorgeous.
You could of course also serve it with ice cream or even pouring cream . . .
Just don't skip the lemon sauce!
When I make it again (and I WILL!) I am going to add some chopped dried apricots . . . they are so jewel-like and taste fabulous with prunes!
Bottom line . . . with prunes, or prunes and apricots . . . with dates . . . toasted nuts or not, this is one very gorgeous pudding.
Your family is sure to love it.
Steamed Prune & Walnut Puddings
Yield: 4
These lovely steamed puddings are studded with sticky bits of prune and crunchy toasted walnuts. Don't skip the lemon sauce. They go perfectly, deliciously together!
ingredients:
- 40g soft fresh bread crumbs (2/3 cup)
- 80g plain flour (2/3 cup)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 85g finely chopped suet (2/3 cup)
- 125g granulated sugar a92/3 cup)
- 1 large free range egg
- 100g finely chopped prunes (2/3 cup)
- 40g chopped toasted walnuts (1/3 cup)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp lemon extract
- 156ml milk (2/3 cup
Lemon Sauce:
- 95g sugar (1/2 cup)
- 1 TBS plain flour
- 240ml water (1 cup)
- the juice of one lemon
- 1 tsp butter
instructions:
How to cook Steamed Prune & Walnut Puddings
- You will need a steaming pan, and four individual molds, or custard cups. (heat proof). Butter the four molds or cups really well. Have ready 4 squares of tinfoil which you have also buttered and pleated in the middle, and which are large enough to wrap over the tops of the cups securely.
- Measure all of the ingredients for the pudding into a bowl, in order given. Stir well for several minutes. Divide between the four cups. Place boiling water in the bottom of the steamer. Secure the tops of the cups with the pleated and buttered foil, covering them completely. Place them into the rack of the steamer. Cover and steam over simmering water for 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick into one. If it comes out clean they are done.
- About 15 minutes before they are done make the sauce. Measure the sugar and flour into a small saucepan. Whisk together and then whisk in the water. Cook, stirring for about 2 minutes over moderate heat, at which time the sugar should have melted and it will have slightly thickened. Beat in the lemon juice and the butter.
- Run a knife around the inside rim of each mold. Insert over serving plate (s) and gently tip out. Spoon a bit of sauce over top and pass the remainder at the table.
- Serve hot.
NOTES:
Any leftovers can be reheated gently in a steamer for about 10 to 15 minutes.
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