Foods of the World Forum Homepage
Forum Home Forum Home > Europe > The British Isles
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - SPOTTED DICK
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

This site is completely supported by donations; there are no corporate sponsors. We would be honoured if you would consider a small donation, to be used exclusively for forum expenses.



Thank you, from the Foods of the World Forums!

SPOTTED DICK

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
English Rose View Drop Down
Cook's Assistant
Cook's Assistant
Avatar

Joined: 23 April 2018
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 83
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote English Rose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: SPOTTED DICK
    Posted: 25 April 2018 at 07:22
LOLLOLLOL  

Hi everyone. Don’t know about you, but my stick-thin (how the hell does he do it?) significant half, loves his puddings. He is a genuine London Cockney and says he grew up eating this pudding at least once every week. He says the way I make it is “almost but not quite” as good as the way his mum used to make it. Humph!  Yet my sons say it is the one pudding I make that they absolutely love. Of course I believe them more than him. LOL.


Here then is the legendary English pudding that usually has our American friends sniggering and saying Spotted WHAT? - when they hear the name for the first time. I can guarantee you though, once tasted, never forgotten.  This is the quintessential English Pudding that is nothing short of a crime if it is served with anything other than a lovely vanilla Custard. The original recipe uses Currants but quite a few now prefer to use Sultanas or a mix of both. Entirely up to you.


No-one seems to have worked out where the origins of this cheekily named English Pud came from. I did look it up online and the only explanation I could find was that the word spotted most likely referred to the currants, but Dick? One can only assume it was someone called Richard who first invented the pud, or the word comes from a corruption of the word Pudding (Puddick)?  Who knows, who cares? The taste more than makes up for the giggly name. At least you will have the recipe to-hand if you decide one day to make it. You won’t regret it and feel sure you will agree, it is really delicious.


NOTE: Spotted Dick is usually made here in the UK with SUET. I understand that this is practically impossible to purchase in the USA  (It is not to be confused with Lard, which is not the same thing at all), and never to buy Pet Suet as it is usually old and full of chemicals. YUK!

I am therefore putting the recipe below which omits the SUET but still makes a delicious Spotted Dick Pudding.  



TRADITIONAL SPOTTED DICK


Serves 6.   Prep time: 15 minutes.    Cook time 1½ hours (but oh so worth it).


INGREDIENTS

2 Cups of All Purpose Flour

2 Teaspoons of Baking Powder

¼ Teaspoon of Salt

10 Tablespoons of diced cubed butter

2/3rds of a Cup of Granulated or Caster Sugar

1 Cup dried currants or Sultanas or half of both

¾ Cup Milk

2 Teaspoons quality Vanilla Extract

Zest of one large Lemon


Place either cookie cutters, a folded cloth or crumpled aluminium foil at the bottom of a large stock pot to prevent the bowl from touching the bottom of the stock pot.

Add water and bring to a boil. Generously grease a pudding mould.


Place the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and butter into a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles course sand.


Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.


Now add the Lemon Zest, Milk, Vanilla Extract and the currants and/or Sultanas and stir until combined.


Scoop the batter mixture into the greased pudding mould and secure the top with a lid if you have one, otherwise a double folded piece of aluminium  with string tied around the top to secure it as a lid.


Gently place the pudding mould into the stock pot, ensuring that the boiling water only comes  up to the half-way point of the pudding mould


Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the pudding simmer untouched for 90 minutes.

(keep an eye now and again just to ensure water is up to half way mark) add more boiling water if necessary


After 90 minutes, remove the pudding mould from the stockpot. Allow to stand for 15 minutes and then turn out onto a warm plate. It is now ready to be served with English Custard.


REAL PROPER ENGLISH CUSTARD.


1 x pint of Milk

2 x fl.oz of Single Cream

½ Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract or 1 Vanilla Pod.

4 Eggs (Yolks only)

1 x ounce Caster Sugar

2 x level Teaspoons Cornflour.


Bring the Milk, Cream and if using a Vanilla Pod, to a simmering point over a low heat.

(if using Vanilla Extract - do not put in with the Milk and Cream yet).


In a bowl, whisk the Egg Yolks, Sugar and Cornflour together until they are well blended.


Pour the hot Milk and Cream onto the Egg/Sugar/Cornflour mix ensuring you whisk it all the time with a balloon whisk as you do so.


Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and if using Vanilla Extract, add this now by stirring it in.


Now, using a wooden spatula, slowly over a gentle heat, stir the Custard until it thickens.


Pour this gorgeous English Custard over your just made Spotted Dick Steamed Pudding and you will be in seventh heaven…..also in big trouble for breaking your diet if on one. LOL.


Enjoy, I’m off to make a good ol’ cuppa Tea. Bi for now xx


Back to Top
Sponsored Links


Back to Top
TasunkaWitko View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group
Avatar

Joined: 25 January 2010
Location: Chinook, MT
Status: Offline
Points: 9356
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TasunkaWitko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 April 2018 at 08:37
Simply outstanding! This just became a goal of mine. My "need to try" list keeps growing by the day, but this one looks great, and I'll have to find a way ~

I might have missed it, but do you have any suggestions for the unfortunate Colonials over here who do not have a mold? I've heard that cheesecloth might substitute, but I do not know.
If you are a visitor and like what you see, please click here and join the discussions in our community!
Back to Top
pitrow View Drop Down
Master Chef
Master Chef
Avatar

Joined: 22 November 2010
Location: Newberg, Oregon
Status: Offline
Points: 1078
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote pitrow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 April 2018 at 09:08
This looks mighty interesting. Over here spotted dick is just a can on a shelf in the grocery store that's the butt of many jokes. I've never really taken the time to figure out what it actually is, but this sounds good.

Like Ron, I'm going to add this to my 'try' list.
Mike
Life in PitRow - My often neglected, somewhat eccentric, occasionally outstanding blog
Back to Top
English Rose View Drop Down
Cook's Assistant
Cook's Assistant
Avatar

Joined: 23 April 2018
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 83
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote English Rose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 April 2018 at 10:51
Originally posted by TasunkaWitko TasunkaWitko wrote:

Simply outstanding! This just became a goal of mine. My "need to try" list keeps growing by the day, but this one looks great, and I'll have to find a way ~

I might have missed it, but do you have any suggestions for the unfortunate Colonials over here who do not have a mold? I've heard that cheesecloth might substitute, but I do not know.

Hi TasunkaWitko,  Honestly, you don't need a custom-made mould. Here, most people just use a pudding basin, anything that will fit comfortably into the saucepan of boiling water and is deep enough itself to hold all the batter without it overflowing over the top, will do the job fine. Obviously it has to be heatproof enough to stand simmering for 90 minutes without the risk of cracking or breaking, So if you have anything of that nature, you are fine.
Live Life every day as though it is your last.
Back to Top
English Rose View Drop Down
Cook's Assistant
Cook's Assistant
Avatar

Joined: 23 April 2018
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 83
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote English Rose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 April 2018 at 11:00
Hi Pitrow.  Thank you for your reply. Please don't ever compare those tinned Spotted Dick with the real thing. It would put many off for life!!  LOL.  I don't mean to insult tinned puddings, some love them, but they are really heavy puddings compared to the home-made ones.

Tip: Forgot to mention to those who may not know, but when using dried fruit, I usually put a small saucepan onto a gentle heat, pour in some orange juice, bring to the boil. empty the currants and/or sultanas in once it is boiling, and then let the dried fruit simmer for about 15 minutes. It makes the dried fruit plump up beautifully before adding to any fruit based cake or pudding. 
Live Life every day as though it is your last.
Back to Top
English Rose View Drop Down
Cook's Assistant
Cook's Assistant
Avatar

Joined: 23 April 2018
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 83
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote English Rose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 April 2018 at 11:10
Crikey, what am I like!!!   In the METHOD for SPOTTED DICK, I forgot to say when you boil the milk, cream and a vanilla pod if used, you have to remove the vanilla pod once it has come to the boil. GULP! My apologies for omission.

Live Life every day as though it is your last.
Back to Top
HistoricFoodie View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group


Joined: 21 February 2012
Location: Kentucky
Status: Offline
Points: 4940
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HistoricFoodie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 April 2018 at 16:45
Ron, lacking anything else, just save some cans. Clean them out good, and, voila! Molds.

This is a traditional way of making Boston Brown Bread, and other steamed breads and puddings.

What you need is anything that will contain the batter, be heat proof, and able to support a cover. Think of the possibilities: Small brioche molds; large cupcake tins; soufflé dishes; ramekins; the list goes on and on.

I don't know about Rose's recipe (which sounds incredible), but when cooking this way, you generally only want to fill the container about 2/3 full. The batters do rise considerably.
But we hae meat and we can eat
And sae the Lord be thanket
Back to Top
Tom Kurth View Drop Down
Chef's Apprentice
Chef's Apprentice


Joined: 10 May 2015
Location: Alma, MO
Status: Offline
Points: 251
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Tom Kurth Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 April 2018 at 18:32
Is it safe to assume that the suet would replace the butter if one could find the suet?
Best,
Tom

Escape to Missouri
Back to Top
English Rose View Drop Down
Cook's Assistant
Cook's Assistant
Avatar

Joined: 23 April 2018
Location: England
Status: Offline
Points: 83
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote English Rose Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 April 2018 at 04:12
HF, what a clever idea, I had never thought of using cans which are normally thrown out. I will have to remember that especially with small tins such as baked beans etc as they would be ideal as substitutes for ramekins. Well done indeed for that.


Tom, If you can get hold of beef suet, do grab it, it is perfect for making dumplings to go on stews and casseroles as well as making steamed puddings.  If you can get hold of it, (usually it's shredded beef suet) substitute the 10 tablespoons of butter with 5 ounces of shredded suet for the Spotted Dick Fruit Pudding.
Live Life every day as though it is your last.
Back to Top
HistoricFoodie View Drop Down
Admin Group
Admin Group


Joined: 21 February 2012
Location: Kentucky
Status: Offline
Points: 4940
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HistoricFoodie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 April 2018 at 04:38
Rose, I think the real value of forums like this is the sharing of small insights.

We, each of us, have tricks and techniques we use that we just take for granted, assuming---if we think of it at all---that everyone knows about that. But they don't. So, when we can exchange such ideas, we all benefit.
But we hae meat and we can eat
And sae the Lord be thanket
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down



This page was generated in 0.109 seconds.