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Spotted Dick

A classic British steamed pudding made with suet and dried fruit, best served warm with custard.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 7 servings
Course: Dessert, Pudding
Cuisine: British
Calories: 325
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pudding
  • 250 g self-raising flour
  • 125 g shredded suet (vegetable or beef)
  • 100 g caster sugar
  • 125 g currants or sultanas
  • 1 unit zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 150 ml whole milk
  • 1 unit egg, beaten (optional)
For the custard
  • 500 ml whole milk
  • 1 unit vanilla pod (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
  • 4 unit egg yolks
  • 2 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a bowl, mix flour, suet, sugar, currants, lemon zest, and salt.
  2. Add milk (and egg if using) and stir until you get a thick, sticky batter.
Filling & Steaming
  1. Grease a pudding basin (about 1 liter).
  2. Spoon in the mixture, leaving a little space at the top.
  3. Cover tightly with parchment paper and foil, then tie with kitchen string.
  4. Place the basin in a pot with simmering water (water should come halfway up the sides).
  5. Cover and steam for 1½–2 hours, topping up water with boiling water if needed.
Making Custard
  1. For custard, heat milk + vanilla until hot.
  2. Whisk yolks + sugar (+ cornstarch if using), then slowly whisk in the hot milk.
  3. Return to low heat and stir until thick enough to coat a spoon.

Notes

Serve warm slices with hot custard poured over the top. You can also add a light dusting of powdered sugar or a little extra lemon zest. Don't overmix the batter to avoid density, and check the water level during steaming. The dried fruit can be tossed with a little flour to help it stay evenly mixed.