Wednesday 30 September 2009

Steamed Pudding Recipe.

Yesterday's post about not wasting windfall apples and about making steamed puddings, brought in a host of comments; some from people who remembered them from their childhood and who dare not make them now because of their waistlines (I fall into that category too), and some from bloggers in America who say that they do not have steamed puddings over there. Well - wouldn't it be nice if I started a Steamed Pudding Movement over there??? Several people have asked for the recipe so I will give it to you. The only thing is that you probably can't get suet over there. We can buy suet chopped up into tiny pieces so that it is easy to mix in. What is suet I hear you ask? It is the hard animal fat which is cut out in chunks (sounds awful doesn't it?) I suppose that if suet is unobtainable then you could use another fat of some kind but I am not sure what. Elizabeth of The World Examining Works (see my blog list) probably remembers suet from her days in UK and could possibly advise on an alternative. Otherwise I would suggest whatever fat you use in making pastry. Experiment! (In UK this is marketed as Atora Beef Suet)



Recipe: 8oz Self raising flour (or plain flour and baking powder), 4oz suet or alternative fat (ration of 8:4 so easily convertible for US readers), milk or water to mix to a firm dough. Roll it out and line a pudding basin (or anything similar), Don't roll it out too thinly it needs to be about one to one and a half centimetres thick. Mould it to the basin shape with your fingers and remember to keep back enough to make a lid. Fill the lined basin with chopped fruit - apples are my favourite by my father loved steamed redcurrant pudding - so really any fruit will do. Add enough sugar to sweeten and then rollout and fit a lid with the remaining piece of the pastry - damp the edges to make it stick and press all round the edge well so that the fruit is firmly enclosed in the suet pastry. Cover with greaseproof paper and then with aluminium foil - not too tight because it must have room to rise slightly but cover it well enough to keep the water out.
Put the finished article into a pan and pour boiling water round it up to around the rim. Put a lid on the pan and put it on to a simmer heat for two hours. I have an Aga and I put the pan into the simmering oven. At the end of the cooking time take the basin from the pan, take off the coverings and invert the basin on to a plate. Juices will run out onto your plate - don't worry - that is the tasty bit!
Sit it in the middle of the table for limited worship before cutting into pieces. I like to eat it with a sprinkling of brown sugar and a pouring of single cream. The farmer likes custard. Yes it will be stodgy and very filling - that is why we only eat it in winter. As my mother used to say, "It sticks to your ribs!"
Remember, dear readers, this pudding has saved marriages, firmly fixed friendships, filled many an empty corner in hungry stomachs. In the old days, when our mums had plenty of time for cooking and not much spare cash, housewives (remember them?) would make up the recipe and just push the whole lot into a basin without rolling it out, so that what came out at the end of the cooking time was just a basin shaped suet pudding. Then they would serve it first course at a meal with the onion gravy (sauce) left from yesterday's meal. This would mean that they didn't need so much meat in the next course as everyone would be full up with suet pudding. You have been warned!
If anybody in US tries it, please let us know how it turned out and what you thought to it. Enjoy (don't expect to do anything in the least bit like exercise for an hour after eating it - and don't jump into the deep end of a swimming pool unless you can swim!)

PS Remember to check the water level in the pan from time to time and top it up with more boiling water to just below the rim.

21 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

Steamed Pudding Movement! Yes!

Thanks for the recipe. I guess we would call your beef suet "lard". But most of us use the vegetable equivalent, Crisco shortening.

Agas are so cool. I've always wanted to have one.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Weaver: Love your 'limited worship' line! It seems like it is basically a pie, that is steamed rather than baked? My mother made steamed Christmas puddings, that were more like a soft, gooey fruit cake served with a custard or caramel sauce. My family loves pies so I can see them enjoying your pud.

Heather said...

We may all yet get back to steamed puddings regardless of cholesterol levels if the recession continues! My father's favourite was a savoury version which had onions and oddments of bacon as a filling. Very tasty, cheap and a useful midweek housekeeping stretcher.

Golden West said...

Willow is right, lard is probably the closest equivalent to suet here.

I, too, enjoy admiring my food before I dig in!

Jane Moxey said...

I have often asked the butcher in the supermarket for suet. His face was a picture when I told him what I wanted it for (steak and kidney pudding a favorite of my husband's). Kidneys are like gold to find over here. Offal isn't that popular. The butcher's suet comes in a nasty looking big white chunk which I have whizzed up to make crumbly in the Cuisinart. I think it's the beef suet that probably gives the puds their lovely flavor - sweet or savory. I would think if US folks use Crisco, then they might need to add a little salt to the dough mixture. I think the lard we get over here is pork fat! Other little US note: the smallest round glass Corningware mixing bowls make fine pudding bowls...

Lisa at Greenbow said...

This sounds so yummy. I usually serve suet to the birds. I would guess that lard would be our substitution for suet.

Tommaso Gervasutti said...

Dear Weaver of Grass, your blog is unique, now recipes, I'll print this for my wife and friends here in Venice...it will become a crossing-to-the-continent recipe!

I am glad you enjoyed "Bud".

All my best, Davide

Reader Wil said...

You are really very creative and could do anything you want! Thanks for your visits for your poetry and writing!

ArtPropelled said...

I love steam pudding but the only suet pudding I ever had was definitely the last.

Kim Palmer said...

Love, love, love, love, love steamed pud! That's it! Will be making one on Saturday now! Yumm!

Titus said...

Wow, is there really no Atora Suet in America? The thing about suet (Atora suet, that is) is that it's all tiny and dry and crumbly, and not really like lard (a lump of fat) at all.
As a big suet pudding maker (also suet dumplings, on top of stews) I know Atora do a vegetarian suet, as my daughter is a very committed ethical vegetarian and I have to use that when she's home from Uni. I do remember real suet as well, but Atora is so much easier and I like the result.

I expect that was of no use whatsoever!
Lovely post, Weaver. Quite peckish now. Sorry about the suet ramblings.

Leilani Schuck Weatherington said...

Thanks Weaver... some of us could get suet from the custom butchers (small scale slaughter house), but it would have to be cleaned, trimmed, and diced fine. Our lard is pig fat, which might have a different taste (best pie I ever made was from lard I rendered myself. Will have to try this!

Totalfeckineejit said...

I'll get Cook onto it right way,so long as she hasn't been at the cooking sherry again!

Hildred said...

My grandmother, straight from Teddington, made steamed puddings regularly, and my mother made them at Christmas. Your recipe sounds so delicious I should never have let the tradition drop... I did save suet when we had animals on the farm and made steak and kidneys, and here my mouth is watering already...

Thanks for the memories and the reminder Weaver.

Cloudia said...

You have started a culinary movement!



Aloha, Friend

Comfort Spiral

alison said...

I think I might get into 'real' puddings this Autumn! They are so delicious.
I love the photos of you border terrier puppy but I am surprised to see her snuggling up to a cat!! My border terrier hates cats with a vengeance and is of the opinion that they should be chased up the nearest tree with no ceremony!

Unknown said...

Once, on a very hot day in the middle east, I made a microwave version of a treacle pudding just to put a friend on the spot! Not like yours, I'm sure, but not bad either!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Seems this country and US might sink under the weight of suet puddings if everyone makes them on the same day. Enjoy!

Jinksy said...

Atora make a "vegetable suet" - presumeably slightly healthier than than beef suet. I can't imagine substituting lard, though... I've just noted that Titus has named the same Atora vegetable suet in her comment.
It works a treat, believe me!

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

Ooh, how marvelously Dickensian!! I love a good steamed pudding. I had to laugh, however, about the unavailability of suet here. It's quite true, the only suet I ever see it for putting in little wire cages for the birds. Something tells me that's not the kind you are talking about here!! Best not to try that methinks!

But you have sorely tempted me to invent and experiment!! After all, this is the perfect weather for a steamed pudding!! Thanks!!

Amy said...

oh wow my late grandmother use to make the most amazing steamed puddings in her old vintage steamer. Very nice indeed! Gosh that brings back memories.