Spotted Dick with Custard
A classic British steamed suet pudding studded with dark currants and lemon zest, served with rich homemade vanilla custard.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 115 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 510 kcal
Equipment
- •1.2-litre pudding basin
- •Large lidded saucepan
- •Greaseproof paper
- •Kitchen string
- •Mixing bowl
- •Balloon whisk
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 510 kcal
- fat
- 24 g
- carbs
- 68 g
- fibre
- 3 g
- protein
- 9 g
- calories
- 510 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Butter a 1.2-litre pudding basin thoroughly.
- 2
Combine flour, suet, caster sugar, currants, sultanas, and lemon zest in a large mixing bowl.
- 3
Stir in the milk gradually until a soft, pliable dough forms.
- 4
Spoon the mixture into the basin and level the top gently.
- 5
Cover the basin with pleated greaseproof paper and foil, tying firmly with kitchen string.
- 6
Place the basin into a large saucepan and add boiling water halfway up the sides.
- 7
Cover with a lid and steam over low heat on the hob for 90 minutes.
- 8
Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour in a heatproof bowl until pale and smooth.
- 9
Heat the milk, cream, and vanilla in a saucepan on the hob until steaming.
- 10
Pour the hot milk slowly into the eggs while whisking continuously.
- 11
Return custard to the pan and stir over low heat until thickened and glossy.
- 12
Turn out the steamed pudding onto a plate, slice thickly, and serve drenched in custard.
Chef's tips
Always fold a pleat (an expanding fold) in your greaseproof paper cover to give the pudding room to rise. Keep a kettle of boiling water ready so you can top up the steaming pan without dropping the cooking temperature.
Ingredient substitutions
- shredded beef suet → vegetable suet
- currants → raisins
Storage
Store leftover pudding and custard in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat pudding slices gently in a steamer for 10 minutes or microwave for 45 seconds, and warm the custard on the hob over low heat.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Allowing the steaming pan to boil dry, which scorches the basin and ruins the pudding.
- •Tying the paper covering too tightly without a pleat, resulting in a dense, heavy pudding.
- •Boiling the custard rapidly on high heat, which causes the egg yolks to scramble.
Serving suggestions
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