Puddings

Marmalade Pudding February, 2011

This is a handsome pudding, glamorously auburn, with something gloriously warming about its taste – perfect for cheering you up in cold, dreary February. It has the light texture of a steamed sponge with a bitter edge of shredded, dark marmalade.

Christmas Pudding December, 2010

Five hundred years ago this used to be called Plum Pudding and presumably had dried plums (prunes) in it. This version, probably Victorian, has lots of dried fruit such as sultanas instead but it is still quite spicy. It is very straightforward to make – you can’t possibly go wrong.

Basil & Lime Pannacotta October, 2010

The secret with pannacotta is not to use too much gelatine and the joy of this recipe is that the citrus helps firm up the pannacotta without overdoing the gelatine. Always use leaf gelatine not the powdered stuff. The basil is very subtle but a perfect foil to the lime. It is very simple and quick to make and of course can be made ahead of time – perfect for a dinner party.

Gooseberry Fool with Elderflower August, 2010

Elderflower is the classic partner to gooseberries giving them a scent of muscat. Here I have added a hint of orange zest for a counterpoint of flavour. Use small, green, slightly hairy, cooking gooseberries for this recipe which is quintessentially English. Decorate with a redddish brown dessert gooseberry if you can find a punnet!

Summer Pudding July, 2010

Quintessentially English, this pudding is the most wonderful colour and will cheer up any picnic or summer feast, even if the weather is not brilliant. Many traditional English puddings use bread as an ingredient, presumably because it was cheap and readily available, and it also bulked up the other ingredients. But don’t be put off; this pudding is packed with fruit and the flavour is terrific, the bread just helps hold the shape together making a scarlet hillock. A doddle to do and it freezes well. Have a pudding basin ready and some weights. Any quantities work.

Milk Pudding May, 2010

This is more like a soufflé than a pudding, but baked in a large earthenware dish and spooning it out makes it look pudding-like. My mother usually served this with stewed apples but her old recipe suggests apricots and a sprinkling of coconut.

Use a coffee/spice grinder to make millet and sunflower seed meal.

Seville Rice Pudding April, 2010

A delicious blend of Pudding Rice with almonds, spices and saffron.The Arabs brought rice to Spain and in their Andalusian paradise they combined it with bitter orange peel, sultanas soaked in sherry, nutmeg and creamy milk. A step up from Traditional English Rice Pudding, but just as easy to do - it makes a nice change.

Traditional English Rice Pudding April, 2010

Assemble this quick, easy and delicious pudding in the early afternoon and it will be ready for you in time for dinner. If you have an AGA you can leave it in for up to 5 hours but with an ordinary gas or electric oven I think 3 hours is about right. it should have a slight, golden skin on it but still be nice and wobbly underneath. Use full fat milk or ideally a mixture of milk and cream. Unctuous nursery food for grown ups, traditionally served with a spoonful of homemade jam.

Bread and Butter Pudding January, 2010

You can make this nursery pud with slightly stale white bread or a fruit loaf. Even if I am using a fruit loaf I still add more raisins which I soak for a while in Sherry.

Lemon Surprise Pudding January, 2010

This is one of my favourite old fashioned ‘nursery-food’ English pudding recipes. I could never get tired of eating it. But how often is it made today I wonder? Yet it is not difficult to make. It has magical qualities - the soft sponge topping and runny lemony custard beneath (which is the surprise, I guess) is a sublime combination.

Search

Puddings