Nancy Birtwhistle's retro jam sponge pudding
Nancy is whipping a classic British dessert that’s sure to keep you warm and cosy as the nights get colder. Sticky jam, a light buttery sponge and drowning in custard, what’s not to love? And, it’s only 20p per person!
Nancy Birtwhistle’s Steamed Sponge Pudding
Serves: 6 individual puddings or one family sized pudding
Ingredients
6 tbsp jam 125g soft butter or margarine 125g caster sugar2 eggs1 tsp vanilla extract 125g self raising flour
Lining paste100g vegetable shortening or soft butter100g plain flour100g vegetable oil
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°c/ Gas mark 4 or amend the cooking time depending on the heat of your oven. For example, if you already have something cooking in the oven and the temperature is slightly lower you will just need to extend your baking time.
2. To make the lining paste, whisk together the vegetable shortening or butter and plain flour until you have a smooth paste. Add the vegetable oil. Brush some of this thick paste inside your tins. Keep the remaining paste in a jar in the fridge for up to one week.
3. Place a tablespoon of jam in the base of each pudding tin or ramekin dish or add all the jam to the bottom of the large pudding basin.
4. In a mixing bowl, whisk together all the remaining ingredients using the mixer until smooth and well combined. Use a spoon or ice cream scoop to divide the batter equally between the six tins/ ramekins or to spoon into the pudding basin.
5. If you just need two for now, freeze the other four in the tins, then oven steam from frozen for 30 minutes.
6. Place the puddings into the pan or casserole dish, then pour boiling water down the side into the pan (careful not to splash the puddings) so that it reaches about 2.5cm (1 inch) up the side of the tins or basin, then quickly on with the lid and into the oven.
7. These puddings will be steamed in 25 minutes (or an hour for the single pudding) - no steamer, no runny windows, no pan boiling dry, no extra fuel being used.
Flavour topping variations:Lemon curdFrozen berries and chocolateStewed applesCocoa (remove 1tbsp of flour and replace with the cocoa)Golden Syrup