Steamed Cherry Bakewell Pudding

Sunday 23 October 2016

 

Oh I do so love when the cooler temperatures arrive and I can get down to the business of cooking comfort foods again. So does Todd.  He does enjoy my salads, but he is a WW2 baby and he likes his stodge much more than those leafy greens and veg.





I love it when he talks about his school dinners.  He adored his school dinners.    That is where he had his main meal of the day.  There was not a lot of cash and rationing was in full force for all of his growing up years.  His dad was a window washer after the war.  His mother never worked outside the home.  School dinners were a big help.  He especially waxes lyrical about the puddings they had . . .  spotted dick, treacle sponge, etc.  And always with custard.

 

I wanted to make him a special pudding this weekend, to spoil him a bit and so I made him an old fashioned  steamed pudding  . . . but not just any steamed pudding would do . . .

 

I did him a Steamed Cherry Bakewell Pudding, and yes . . .  served up with a warm custard sauce.  A dessert right after Todd's old school, school dinner, stodgy heart!!

 

Picture this . . . a lovely moist and buttery steamed pudding . . . filled with the lovely flavour of almonds . . . coming from both the ground almonds and the almond essence used in making the batter . . .

 

Topped with some lovely sweet/tart morello cherry preserves . . . sitting there all scrummily on top of the pudding . . .  and then gilded with an unctuously delicious custard sauce.

 

Dare I say it?  TO DIE FOR!  Todd was in pudding heaven.  He even had seconds.

 

  I dare say the leftovers will go down a real treat today as well.  I confess although I shouldn't be eating such things . . .  a tiny taste does make me smile also.  Hooray for comfort!  Don't ever be intimidated by a steamed pudding. They are quite the easiest things to make.  Truly.




*Steamed Cherry Bakewell Pudding*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

A delicious steamed pudding stogged full of scrummy almond flavour and slathered with morello cherry preserves.  Served with a custard sauce, this is old school, stodge, deliciousness!

For the pudding:
110g of butter, softened (1/2 cup)
110g of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
2 medium free range eggs, beaten
a few drops of almond essence
75g of self raising flour, sifted (2/3 cup)
75g of ground almonds (14 TBS)
2 TBS semi skimmed milk
3 heaped TBS of morello cherry preserves (jam)

For the Sauce:
150ml (5 fluid ounces) of milk
250ml of heavy/double cream (8.5 fluid ounces)
50g of caster sugar (1/4 cup fine sugar)
6 large free range egg yolks
1 vanilla pod, split and seeds removed

To make the pudding.  Butter a 1 1/2 pint pudding basin.  Set aside.  Take a large piece of greaseproof paper or foil, make a pleat in the centre and then spray it lightly with nonstick cooking spray, or spray oil.

Cream together the softened vutter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, a bit at a time, until well incorporated.  Stir in the almond essence and then fold in the flour and the almonds.  Stir in the milk to give a dropping consistency. 

Spoon the jam into the bottom of the buttered basin.  Pour the batter over top.  Cover the pudding basin with  the prepared paper or foil and secure in place with some string or a rubber band.  Place into the top of a steamer or large saucepan which is half filled with boiling water.  Cover and steam the pudding for 1 1/2 hours, checking periodically to make sure that  your pot of water does not go dry, and topping up as necessary.

About 20 to 25 minutes before the pudding has finished cooking make the sauce.  Place the milk, cream and one tsp of the sugar into a heavy bottomed saucepan.  Bring to a gentle simmer and then turn the heat down to the lowest setting.  Place the sugar and egg yolks into a bowl and whisk together with a hand whisk until creamy. light and pale in colour.    Continue to whisk and slowly pour the warm cream mixture  into it at a slow drizzle.  Strain the mixture through a fine sieve back into the saucepan.  Add the vanilla pod and the seeds.  Cook, whisking constantly, over low heat until the mixture thickens somewhat.  Don't be tempted to rush this process, or you will end up with scrambled eggs.  The mixture should coat the back of a metal spoon when it is done.  Pass through a fine sieve again and keep warm until needed.


Kids are funny creatures aren't they.  The things they love to eat.  When I was a child the idea of having a Swanson's frozn Turkey Dinner with Cranberry sauce sent us all into ecstasy!  To us, that was a real treat!

Bon appetit!


10 comments

  1. Fish sticks for me:)
    Or pancakes..Fridays..

    Oh the things we did in the name of our religion..as if jesus cared if we ate meat.
    Food must be the least of his worries..
    This looks terrific..I have a mold and never really use it..I just might:)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We only had pancakes once a year Monique, on Shrove Tuesday. I remember my catholic friend always had french toast on Fridays. We used to have hotdogs. I am sure Jesus is not the least bit interested in what we eat and when we eat it! I don't use my pudding bowl near often enough for Todd's liking! I think he would just as soon I use it at least once a week! xoxo

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  2. Ahh Marie I would love to hear about school dinners during the war years. Mum hardly ate at school. Her mother was a trained pastry chef and a very good cook. They were all expected to be home for lunch as that was the main meal. From the stories I hear my granny did a fantastic job managing their rations and mum says they were never hungry.

    Recently I bought a Costco membership. My favourite find so far has been dried tart cherries. Such a pity they put sugar on them. I just love them and have to remind myself they are still a treat food. Now that dad is not home sweet treats are rare. Mum likes a specific ice-cream so that is bought for her and Pip and I live without.

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    Replies
    1. I wish we had a Costco membership Suzan! You need to work for the Government or civil service here to get one, or other companies. Membership is not open to the public, at least not yet anyways. Your mother was very lucky! xoxo

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  3. I love your recipes and fell in love with Bakewell tarts on a trip to England. YUM!! I googled 1 1/2 pint pudding basin and found that on Amazon but I'm really confused about the pleated foil or paper. Would it be possible to post a picture to explain that part? Thanks! And as a pastor's wife I enjoy all your stories about church folks and goodies for the missionaries. ��

    ReplyDelete
  4. PWJ I found a pictorial tutorial for you. I was planning on doing my own when I do my Christmas pudding this year, but until then you can go to this link you can see pictures on how to do that! Here is the link: http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/543497/how-to-steam-a-pudding

    Many thanks for your lovely comment! Bakewell tarts are the best! xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much and today's bumbleberry recipe will be tried as well. A local restaurant makes a bumbleberry pie that everyone loves so I will try this! Blessings to you.

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    2. You're welcome! The Bumbleberry Pie Tray Bake is amazing! xo

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  5. Do you use almonds with the skin?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I used already ground almonds. Sometimes they have the skin and sometimes not. Just what you have available to you! xoxo

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