※ Steamed Jam Pudding

Raspberry & White Chocolate Steamed Jam Pudding

Even the lighter-textured steamed puds would send most dieticians running for the celery sticks. But golly, they're good.

They are a tradition worth upholding, even if only occasionally.

Start with a light main course - some vegetable soup, perhaps - then bring on the pudding. And the cream. And the custard. This is not the moment to worry about the odd extra calorie.


My Mum used to make the most divine steamed puddings ever when I was a child. She had this funny little pan with a fitted lid. I wanted to make it the old way. So I scoured Ebay and found a steamer from the 70's I wasn't disappointed. The finished product was as good as I remembered. Worth the 2 hour cooking time. I will make this again. AMAZING!


Serves 6-8

Divinely rich.

The tanginess of the raspberries saves the pudding from being too sweet.


INGREDIENTS

• 5oz/140g soft brown sugar 
• 4oz/110g butter 
• 2 eggs 
• 2 tsp vanilla extract 
• 6oz/170g self-raising flour 
• milk or water 
• 4oz/110g raspberries (fresh or frozen) 
• 3½oz/100g white chocolate, roughly chopped 
• 6 tbsp raspberry jam (optional) 

METHOD
Grease a 1 litre pudding basin.
Cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
Fold in the flour and enough milk or water (about 2 tbsp) to produce a dropping consistency.
Stir in the raspberries and white chocolate.
Spoon the name into the greased basin.
Scrape the mixture into the pudding basin, cover and steam for 2 hours. **
Turn out the pudding / Serve with chilled cream or home made custard.

**

Bring a pan of water to the boil. Put a trivet, a heat-proof saucer or a steamer basket in the pan. 

Lower the pudding basin into the water, which should come no more than halfway up the bowl 

Check it regularly and top it up with boiling water from the kettle if necessary.

The batter tasted so good! 

The old pudding steamer I picked up from Ebay for $20

Well worth the 2 hour cooking time!