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Spotted Dick
Serves 6 Prep 20 min Cook 2 hr Total 2 hr 20 min Type Dessert Origin British

Spotted Dick

An old British steamed pudding: a suet sponge studded with currants and lemon zest, steamed slow in a basin and flooded with custard.

Serves 6 Prep 20 minutes Cook 2 hours Units Rate

Overview

A steamed suet pudding: self-raising flour, shredded beef suet (or vegetarian suet), caster sugar and a pinch of salt mix dry. Lemon zest, currants and sultanas fold through. Whole milk binds to a soft dropping consistency. Tipped into a buttered pudding basin (1-litre); covered with a pleated baking-paper-and-foil lid (or a tied muslin cloth); placed in a steamer or a deep pot with a tea-towel under the basin and water halfway up; steamed for 2 hours, topping up water as needed. Inverted onto a plate; sliced; served warm with hot vanilla custard.

Ingredients

Pudding

  • 250 g self-raising flour
  • 125 g shredded beef suet (Atora-style, sold dried at supermarkets - vegetable suet works for vegetarian)
  • 80 g caster sugar
  • A pinch of salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 1 lemon (zest)
  • 150 g currants
  • 100 g sultanas
  • 200-250 ml whole milk

Pudding basin prep

  • 1 teaspoon butter (for greasing)
  • 1 tablespoon caster sugar (for dusting the basin)
  • 1 (1 litre) pudding basin

To cover

  • 1 piece baking paper (about 25 cm square)
  • 1 piece foil (about 25 cm square)
  • String

Custard (or use shop-bought)

  • 500 ml whole milk
  • 4 egg yolks (large)
  • 60 g caster sugar
  • 1 vanilla pod (split and scraped) or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon cornflour

Method

Stage 1 - Prep the basin

  1. Generously butter the inside of a 1-litre pudding basin.
  2. Dust with caster sugar; tip out excess.

Stage 2 - Mix the dry ingredients

  1. In a wide bowl, combine self-raising flour, shredded suet, caster sugar, salt and cinnamon (if using).
  2. Stir thoroughly.

Stage 3 - Add fruit and zest

  1. Stir in the lemon zest, currants and sultanas.

Stage 4 - Bind

  1. Pour in 200 ml of the milk; mix with a wooden spoon.
  2. Add more milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the batter is a soft dropping consistency (it should fall off the spoon with one gentle shake).

Stage 5 - Fill the basin

  1. Tip the mixture into the prepared basin; don't fill to the top - leave 2 cm of headspace (the pudding rises during steaming).
  2. Smooth the top.

Stage 6 - Cover

  1. Lay the baking paper on top of the foil; make a 2 cm pleat in the middle of both (gives the pudding room to expand).
  2. Place over the basin paper-side-down; tie firmly with string under the rim of the basin.
  3. Trim excess foil and paper.

Stage 7 - Steam

  1. Place a folded tea towel in the bottom of a deep wide pot.
  2. Place the basin on the towel.
  3. Pour boiling water into the pot to come halfway up the basin.
  4. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
  5. Bring back to a gentle simmer.
  6. Steam over low heat for 2 hours.
  7. Top up the water every 30 minutes with more boiling water - DO NOT let it run dry.

Stage 8 - Make the custard

  1. Heat milk with the vanilla pod (or vanilla extract) to just below a simmer.
  2. Whisk egg yolks with sugar and cornflour until pale.
  3. Pour the hot milk slowly onto the yolks, whisking.
  4. Return to the pan over low heat; cook 3-4 minutes, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  5. Don't let it boil - it scrambles.
  6. Strain through a fine sieve into a jug.

Stage 9 - Turn out the pudding

  1. Lift the basin out of the pot (oven mitts!).
  2. Remove the foil and paper.
  3. Run a thin knife around the edge of the pudding.
  4. Place a wide serving plate over the basin; invert; lift the basin away.
  5. The pudding should slide out as a domed shape - golden-brown on top (formerly the bottom), studded with dark currants.

Stage 10 - Serve

  1. Slice into thick wedges (about 2 ½ cm).
  2. Pour generous hot custard over each slice.
  3. Eat warm.

Notes

  • Suet is the secret: Beef suet (or vegetarian suet) is what gives spotted dick its distinctive light-but-rich texture. Substituting butter gives a denser, cake-like pudding (still good, but not authentic).
  • Don't open during steaming: Like Yorkshire puddings, the rise depends on consistent steam. Don't lift the lid or remove the basin to check; let it steam for the full 2 hours.
  • Don't let the water run dry: A pot that boils dry will burn the bottom of the pudding and possibly the bottom of the pan. Check water level every 30 minutes; top up with boiling water (never cold - it stops the steaming).

Storage

  • Best fresh, served warm.
  • Refrigerate leftover pudding 3 days; reheat covered by re-steaming for 30 minutes, OR slice and warm portions in the microwave 60-90 seconds.
  • Freeze cooked 2 months in slices; defrost in the fridge then reheat.

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