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Traditional Spotted Dick

This famous traditional English dessert is irresistibly delicious and is sure to win you over!

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 498 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 5 ounces shredded beef suet (highly recommended for best results, but can substitute 10 tablespoons chilled butter, diced)
  • 2/3 cup caster sugar or regular granulated sugar , see NOTE
  • 1 cup dried currants
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons quality vanilla extract
  • Zest of one large lemon
  • English Custard Sauce for serving (click link for recipe)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place metal cookie cutters, a folded towel, or crumpled tin foil in the bottom of a large stock pot to prevent the pudding mold from touching the bottom of the pot. Add water and bring to a boil. Generously grease a 1.6 liter pudding mold..
  2. Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and suet (or butter) in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.
  3. Add the milk, lemon zest, vanilla extract and currants and stir until combined. Scoop the batter into the prepared pudding mold and secure it tightly with the lid.
  4. Lower the pudding mold into the boiling water so that the water comes up to the halfway point of the pudding mold. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer undisturbed for 3-4 hours if using suet (it has a very high melting point and needs that amount of time to melt and create the "pockets" throughout the pudding that yields the characteristic light/spongy texture associated with suet-based puddings) or about 90 minutes if using butter. You'll likely need to weight the pudding mold down with something heavy to keep it from bobbing up and down in the water.  I use a plate and then put something heavy on top of it, like another bowl. Check the water level periodically and add more water as needed to keep it at the halfway point of the pudding tin.
  5. Remove the pudding mold from the water and let it sit for 15 minutes. Invert the pudding onto a plate. Slice into wedges and serve warm with Vanilla Custard. See NOTE about reheating.

Notes

  • *Caster sugar is simply granulated sugar that has been very finely ground. It is the most popular form of sugar in British baking and is especially suited to items with a short baking time or delicate items like meringue. Because it's so finely ground it dissolves more quickly. However, after steaming this pudding for 90 minutes, regular granulated sugar will definitely be dissolved. The choice is yours: Buy caster sugar, grind your own using a coffee or spice grinder, or simply use regular granulated sugar.
  • * REHEATING: The key is just to do it in a way that doesn’t dry out the pudding or render it overly moist and mushy. Two methods: Reheat the same way you cooked it by removing the wrapping and returning the the pudding to the mold to steam it for 3/4 to 1 hour or until hot. Or reheat it in the oven: Wrap the pudding in foil and reheat at 300ºF (150ºC) for an hour or until hot.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1serving Calories 498kcal (25%) Carbohydrates 74g (25%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 20g (31%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Cholesterol 53mg (18%) Sodium 282mg (12%) Potassium 433mg (12%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 40g (80%) Vitamin A 655IU (13%) Vitamin C 1.2mg (1%) Calcium 125mg (13%) Iron 2.8mg (16%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 498

% Daily Value*

Serving 1serving
Calories 498kcal 25%
Carbohydrates 74g 25%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 20g 31%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Cholesterol 53mg 18%
Sodium 282mg 12%
Potassium 433mg 9%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 40g 80%
Vitamin A 655IU 13%
Vitamin C 1.2mg 1%
Calcium 125mg 13%
Iron 2.8mg 16%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.