Spotted dick

Name: Spotted dick
Yield: Serves 4–6
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 360 g (12½ oz) plain flour; pinch of salt; 2 tsp baking powder; 180 g (6¼ oz) suet; 125 g (4 oz) soft brown sugar; grated zest of 1 lemon; 175 g (6 oz) currants; about 150 ml (¼ pint) milk; ½ tsp ground mixed spice; golden syrup, to serve; butter, to grease and serve

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Complex

Appears in

British Food

By Mark Hix

Published 2005

About

This is one of the most popular comfort puddings from school days. It can be served with custard, or even more simply with golden syrup and a knob of butter. Spotted dick is one of the honoured members of the roly poly family and should be steamed. You can even buy cylindrical moulds for the purpose.

Ingredients

360 g (12½ oz) plain flour
pinch of salt

Europe
United Kingdom
Dessert

Method

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together into a large mixing bowl. Stir in the suet, sugar, currants, lemon zest and mixed spice, then add just enough milk to make a soft dough.
Shape the dough into a log shape and wrap loosely in a sheet of buttered heavy-duty cling film. Wrap this loosely in muslin and secure with string. Drop into a large pan of boili