Indulge in this comforting steamed pudding, a delightful treat that's incredibly versatile! This recipe is perfect for using up those half-full jars of jam, marmalade, or syrup, transforming them into a warm, fluffy sponge. Serve it hot with a generous dollop of creamy custard for a truly irresistible dessert.
for greasing softened
strawberry, marmalade, curd, golden syrup or chopped stem ginger
to serve
Generously grease a 1.2-litre pudding basin with butter. Place your chosen topping (jam, marmalade, curd, golden syrup, or chopped stem ginger) into the base of the greased basin.
Boil a kettle of water. To prepare your steamer, place a snugly fitting upturned heatproof bowl in the base of a large, deep saucepan, ensuring it's big enough to hold the pudding basin.
Combine the softened butter, caster sugar, eggs, self-raising flour, milk, and vanilla extract in a food processor. Blend until the mixture is smooth, being careful not to overwork it.
Carefully tip the sponge mixture into the pudding basin, on top of the chosen topping. Create a lid for the basin using a double layer of baking parchment and foil, securing it tightly with string.
Place the pudding basin on the upturned bowl inside the large saucepan. Pour enough hot water from the kettle into the saucepan to come halfway up the side of the pudding basin.
Place the saucepan over a medium heat and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and allow the pudding to steam for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Check the water level periodically and top up with additional boiling water if it gets too low.
To check if the pudding is cooked, carefully insert a skewer through the parchment and foil lid into the centre of the pudding. If the skewer comes out with wet mixture, return the pudding to the steamer for an additional 15-20 minutes, then check again.
Once cooked, carefully remove the pudding from the steamer, uncover it, and turn it out onto a serving plate. Serve immediately with custard, if desired.
For a richer flavour, you can brown the butter slightly before adding it to the sponge mixture.
If you don't have a food processor, you can cream the butter and sugar together, then beat in the eggs one at a time, before folding in the flour, milk, and vanilla extract.
Ensure your saucepan lid is tight-fitting to prevent steam from escaping, which is crucial for even cooking.
Leftover steamed pudding can be reheated gently in the microwave or by steaming it again for a short period.