By Seren Charrington Hollins 
‘Spotted Dick’ the source of playground sniggers from the past! The classic pudding is a source of continual embarrasment it seems, as many Restaurants and canteens too have altered the name of this Victorian sponge pudding to ‘Spotted Richard’. Years ago this was an all time favourite as a School lunch.
I was reading an article only the other day that suggested Millennial’s do not know, like or in some instances have not even tasted many ‘classic’ puddings such as trifle, spotted dick, and jam roly poly. Instead puddings such as fruit tarts, chocolate fondants, cheesecake and freezer to table puddings are now the favourite and the comforting dish of sponge and custard has been shunned.
Indeed, a few years ago the freezer to table desserts were so previlant that the ‘Pudding Club’ in Mickleton,in the Cotswolds was founded merely to ensure that all the favourite puddings were not lost! To this day members gather to vote on the best puddings on the menu, and they consist of all the old favourites, such as Spotted Dick, jam roly poly etc.
I love sponge puddings during the winter months and enjoy a fruit crumble and custard whenever there is a glut of seasonal fruit. I don’t think you can beat the ‘old’ classics of puddings accompanied with lashings of custard!
Here’s an old favourite recipe of mine…
Spotted Dick Recipe.
Ingredients:
250g self raising flour
pinch of salt
125g shredded suet
180g currants
80g caster sugar
add zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
add zest of 1 small orange, finely grated
150ml whole milk, plus 2 -3 tbsp
Custard to serve
Method:
Place the flour and salt in a bowl, add the suet, currants, sugar, lemon and orange zest. Pour in the 150ml of milk and mix to a firm but moist dough. Add the extra milk if required. Shape in a fat roll – 20cm long and place on a rectangle of baking parchment. Wrap loosely to allow for the pudding to rise, tie both ends with string like a christmas cracker. Place a steamer over a large pan of boiling water, add the pudding to the steamer, cover and steam for one and a half hours. Top up the water in the pan as required.
Remove the pudding, allow to cool slightly before unwrapping and then serve sliced with custard.
