Easy Spotted Dick

Spotted Dick is steamed suet sponge dotted with currants that supposedly got it's name from the old English word for dough...who knew? My kids seem to find it hysterical in their typical teenager way...I want to tell them to grow up but I obviously don't mean it.

You may be put in prison if you don't serve it with vanilla custard or ice cream. Point of note here, no one is going to judge if they're shop bought, one creative masterpiece is more than enough Susan.

Reasons to love this easy spotted dick

• it's name
• delicious
• cheap ingredients
• vegetarian
• super easy
• crowd pleaser
• rib sticker comfort food
• Sunday lunch favourite

Equipment Required

• 2 pint (1.2 litre) plastic pudding bowl with lid - sooooo much easier than using a ceramic one
• large mixing bowl
• medium bowl
• sieve
• wooden spoon
• digital scales
• measuring jug
• tsp measure
• slow cooker (mine is a standard size 3.5L)
• kettle
• serving plate

Ingredients

• 250 grams self raising flour or plain flour and 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 150 grams caster sugar - granulated sugar works too
• 100 grams suet - vegetarian
• 150 grams dried currants
• 150-175 mls milk - semi or full fat
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ of a tsp salt
• zest of a small lemon

Method

• Boil the kettle and fill up your slow cooker about halfway with boiled water. Switch the slow cooker to High and put the lid on.
• Reserve 200 mls or so of the hot water to pour over the currants in a bowl and leave them for about 5 minutes to soak before draining through a sieve..

• Add all the ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Just the 150 mls of milk leaving 25 mls to add if the mixture is not wet enough.

• Mix until the mixture is of a soft dropping consistency. Add a splash of extra milk if needed to get the consistency right.

• Grease your pudding bowl, I use a baking spray but you can just smear a knob of butter all round the bowl with some kitchen paper.
• Spoon the mixture into the bowl and smooth over.

• Top with the lid and carefully place in the slow cooker. If you are using a traditional ceramic pudding bowl then see here for how to wrap the bowl for steaming

• Cook for 4 hours. You can steam in a saucepan too if you prefer for 1 and a half hours see link above.
• Carefully remove the pudding pot with oven gloves and invert onto your serving dish.

• Cut into triangle wedges and serve with vanilla custard or icecream

Leftovers

• Cover and keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days
• You can reheat leftover wedges in the microwave. I do it for 20 seconds first before carefully checking it's hot enough.
• You can also freeze the leftover wedges for up to 3 months in freezer bags or probably better in a stout plastic container. Thaw covered in the fridge or at room temperature.

Tips & Tricks

• Vary the zestiness and use lime or orange zest
• You could add in chocolate chips
• If you want to leave out the vanilla extract then do, I'm just a vanilla fan
• Don't lift the lid on the slow cooker as it will slow down the cooking time
• If you are steaming the pudding in a saucepan then it will take 1 and a half hours at a gentle simmer. Keep a check on the water levels in the saucepan to make sure that it does not run low.

More traditional British puddings

• sticky toffee pudding
• apple crumble
• rhubarb crumble
• lemon posset
• apple pie
• treacle sponge
• treacle tart
• jam steamed sponge
• chocolate steamed sponge
• lemon steamed sponge
• christmas pudding