Farmers' home
Memories rekindled by old fashioned puddings
THIS year I gave a friend of mine three cookbooks, which I bought from a charity shop. It was just a little something as he had had another Christmas present from us.
During the year he has been busy helping out this wife with the cooking and the more he's done the better he's getting and is now a dab hand at pastries. One of the books I gave him was Farmhouse Recipes by Dorothy Sleightholmes, a lady who graced our television screens over 20 years ago. My father thought her as the best on the telly and referred to her as "such a sensible cook." The book brought back happy memories of old recipes and I decided it was time to rekindle some of mine.
I have noticed that, if these homemade old fashioned puddings appear on a menu, they are often crossed out before you get to choose one. They can, of course, be served at any time of the day and I think they are ideal at teatime. They then can replace sandwiches and cakes and are much more acceptable if the weather is cold. I used to have one ready when the children came home from school as it soon warmed up their tummies especially with the addition of custard.
A SIMPLE SPONGE PUDDING
This one is great as you can put different fillings in the base. I like marmalade, but it's also an ideal way of using up any jam lurking in the bottom of a jar. The secret in cooking a light sponge pudding is to make sure there's simmering water half way up the pudding basin. You need to keep it topped up with more boiling water. Choose a large pan with a good fitting lid. You need only to fill the basin three quarters full as then there's plenty of room for it to rise.
Make a lid from greaseproof paper which you have also made a pleat in the middle. This also allows the pudding to rise and fill the basin while cooking. You can secure the "lid" with some string or those expensive, but good, trussing elastic bands. I do it by folding and tucking the edge under itself. It's difficult to describe, but some experienced cook will show you how to do it. You will need to do the above for any pudding that is boiled. Of course, you can use a steamer on top of the boiling water, but this does steam up the kitchen, so I prefer to boil them. Now for a simple recipe.
6oz Self raising flour
3 oz butter
3 oz caster sugar
2eggs
pint milk approx
Few drops vanilla essence
Good tablespoon jam.
1. Grease a pudding basin and pour the jam into the base.
2. Make the mixture by creaming the butter and sugar together. Adding the beaten eggs with the essence and then folding in the flour.
3. Add enough milk to make a dropping consistency and then add it into the basin.
4. Grease a large piece of greaseproof paper with a pleat and secure it well. Place in a pan of boiling water that reaches half way up the basin. Cook steadily for 1 hours.
5. Serve by turning the pudding upside down on a warm serving plate.
A trick of the trade is to fold a piece of tinfoil several times longwise so to form a stiff wide "belt." This you can place under the pudding basin before you place it in the saucepan and then it makes it easier to remove it from the hot water.
* * * * *
BACHELOR'S PUDDING
This is a great favourite in our house. It makes a change from the one above as it contains suet. I use the vegetarian variety, and find it is excellent and it's ideal when serving vegetarians. The recipe also uses fresh breadcrumbs as this makes the mixture lighter when using the suet. It is a bit like a good old fashioned "Spotted Dick", but I think nicer.
3 oz dried fruit
6 oz plain flour
A pinch of salt
1 teaspoon baking-powder
3 oz sugar
2 oz breadcrumbs
3 oz finely-chopped suet
1 egg
milk to mix (about pint)
teaspoon mixed spice
1. Grease a pudding basin and the greaseproof paper lid. Mix together the flour, salt, baking-powder, sugar, breadcrumbs and suet. Stir in the dried fruit. Add the well-beaten egg and the milk to achieve a dropping consistency. Turn the mixture into the basin; cover with greased paper, and steam or boil for 2 to 2 hours.
2. When ready, turn out of the basin and serve with plenty of custard.
(Serves 4 - 5 portions)
* * * * *
JAM ROLY POLY
I bet this brings back some memories! We had an old uncle and his spinster sister whom we had to visit when we were children and he used to make this for our tea. To be honest, I wasn't keen on the ones he made and, of course, we had to sit there and look as if we were enjoying them. Nowadays, when made well, it is a treat. You need a good piece of an old white sheet in which to wrap it. Make sure the cloth is really clean and hasn't any coloured decoration on it.
12 oz plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 oz suet
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons jam (approx)
Little water for mixing
1. Sift the flour with the baking powder in to a large bowl and add the salt and suet. Pour in enough water to make dough that one is able to roll out.
2. Roll out to a rectangle that is inch thick. Spread the jam over it but not to the edges.
3. Dampen the edges and then carefully roll the pastry lengthwise to make a long sausage.
4. Spread out the cloth and dust it with flour before wrapping the pudding in it. Secure the ends well with string.
5. Drop into boiling water and simmer for two hours making sure the water doesn't dry up and is simmering.
6. Serve by carefully unrolling the cloth and placing the pudding on a warm plate. Cut the pudding into large slices and serve with plenty of custard.
* * * * *
EVE'S PUDDING
This is a sponge pudding but instead of boiling or steaming you cook it by baking. The basic recipe that follows can be used by flavouring the mixture, for example with the rind and juice of a lemon or replacing some of the flour with chocolate, etc.
8 oz flour
2 level teaspoons baking powder
3 oz butter
3 oz cater sugar
1 beaten egg
Few drops vanilla essence
Pinch of salt
1 lb prepared sliced apples
1. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt together and rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar.
2. Make a well in the centre and drop in the egg with the essence, and add half the apples.
3. Grease a pudding dish well and place the remaining apples in the base. Cover with the sponge mixture.
4. Bake for 45 minutes at 190C / 375F / gas mark 5 and lower the heat if the sponge looks as if it is getting overcooked.
5. Serve with plenty of custard.
* * * * *
BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING
Approximately loaf bread, buttered
More butter for greasing the dish
2 oz sultanas
1 egg and 1 egg yolk
2 oz sugar
pint full cream milk (or pint milk and pint cream)
A few drops of vanilla extract
teaspoon mixed spice
grated nutmeg
1. Butter a shallow two-pint dish liberally, and line the bottom and sides with the buttered bread. It should fit like a glove, and resemble a Charlotte. The secret is to put the buttered sides of the bread against the dish. This way, when it cooks, the bread becomes beautifully crispy. Scatter the sultanas and the mixed spice over the base before you prepare the custard.
2. Whisk the egg, egg yolk, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl with the milk (and cream, if using). Pour this into the lined dish. Leave in the fridge for 20 minutes.
3. Arrange more triangles of buttered bread over the top, so they stand up like little soldiers (the buttered side being uppermost). Grate a little nutmeg on top and sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake in a moderate oven (gas mark 4/180C/350F) in a Bain-marie for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the custard is set and the top is crisp and crunchy!
(Should serve six portions)
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FINALLY CUSTARD
I don't suggest you make your own with raw egg yolks as most of us use the custard powder. It does taste better if you add a few drops vanilla essence and cut down on the sugar. Adding some cream instead of some of the milk changes the taste for the better! I sometimes use a small can of evaporated milk and then make up the rest with fresh milk and this again is good and a different taste.
I'm sure I haven't included all your favourites and there are many more the men in your life would like you to make so we will return to more good old fashioned puddings next month.
Frances Kitchin can be heard on BBC Somerset (95.5 MHz FM / 1566 kHz AM).
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