Spotted Dick

Method6 steps · about 1 hr 45 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash the lemon and small orange and finely grate only their coloured zests. Mix all the self-raising flour (250 g) and pinch of salt in a bowl, then add all the shredded suet (125 g), dried currants (180 g), caster sugar (80 g) and both prepared citrus zests.

   Uses 250 g self-raising flour · 1 pinch salt · 125 g shredded suet · 180 g dried currants · 80 g caster sugar · Finely grated zest of 1 lemon · Finely grated zest of 1 small orange

2. 2

   Step 2: Pour all one hundred and fifty millilitres initial whole milk (150 ml) into the dry mixture and mix to a firm but moist dough. Add a little of the separate two-to-three-tablespoon extra milk only if necessary to reach that consistency.

   Uses All mixed dry ingredients · 150 ml whole milk for pudding dough · Conditional extra whole milk for dough

3. 3

   Step 3: Shape the whole dough into a fat roll about twenty centimetres long and put it on a large rectangle of baking parchment.

   Uses The entire mixed dough

4. 4

   Step 4: Wrap the parchment loosely around the pudding roll, leaving space for it to rise, and tie both ends securely with string like a Christmas cracker.

   Uses The whole shaped pudding roll

5. 5

   Step 5: Set a steamer above a large pan of boiling water, keeping the steamer and pudding clear of the water. Put the wrapped pudding in the steamer, cover and steam for one and a half hours. Check the pan regularly and top up its water as needed so it does not boil dry. The steamed dough should be cooked through, not wet or raw in its centre.

   Steam wrapped suet pudding until cooked through · 90 minUses The complete wrapped pudding · Water for the steaming pan, with top-ups as needed; not mixed into pudding

6. 6

   Step 6: Lift the cooked pudding out of the steamer carefully and let it cool slightly until safe to unwrap. Remove string and parchment, slice the cooked roll into six portions and serve warm with prepared custard heated according to its own directions.

   Uses The complete cooked pudding · Prepared custard to serve, as desired