Let us tell you about a mouthwatering dessert! This is a classic British pudding – spotted dick. It is a tasty and flavorful dessert with succulent currants and a delicious vanilla custard. Follow the detailed recipe with useful tips and make this yummy dessert!
Spotted Dick, a cherished British classic, offers a delightful journey through the comforting flavors of raisins, currants, and brown sugar. This heartwarming pudding, crowned with a zesty lemon twist, is a testament to the rich tapestry of British culinary traditions. Served warm with a luscious vanilla custard, it's a delightful indulgence, perfect for those cozy winter days. Follow the recipe closely, and let the nostalgia of this beloved dessert fill your kitchen with warmth and flavor!
What is Spotted Dick?
Spotted Dick is a traditional British dessert. It is a delicious pudding, ideal for enjoying on cold winter days. Filled with the comforting flavors of raisins, currants, and brown sugar, its lemon zest adds a delightful, unexpected touch of brightness.
The dessert is usually served warm with a rich, spicy custard. It has been a popular dish in British cuisine for many years. Today, it remains a nostalgic and beloved comfort food for many people.
The “spotted” part of its name refers to the fruit that is sprinkled throughout the pudding, while “dick” is thought to be derived from the word “pudding.”
Spotted Dick Ingredients
Custard Sauce
- Milk: It provides the creamy texture and flavor of the custard.
- Heavy whipping cream: Use it to add a soft and velvety texture to the custard.
- Kosher salt: Slat enhances the overall flavor by balancing the sweetness
- Granulated sugar: It provides the desired sweetness to custard.
- Egg yolks: They act as a thickener and contribute to smooth custard consistency.
- Vanilla extract: Provides a pleasant aroma and enhances the flavor of custard with vanilla essence.
Pudding
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour to provide texture to the pudding.
- Baking powder: It acts as a leavening agent and gives the pudding a light and fluffy texture.
- Kosher salt: It enhances overall pudding flavor and balances sweetness.
- Unsalted butter: Use butter to add richness and contribute to the moistness of the pudding.
- Granulated sugar: Sweeten the pudding with sugar.
- Dried currants raisins: They give pudding an interesting look and add sweetness and texture.
- Grated lemon zest: Add a citrusy brightness to the pudding with grated lemon zest.
- Milk: Use whole milk that serves as the liquid base for the pudding.
- Vanilla extract: Provides a delightful aroma to dessert.
How to Make Spotted Dick?
Make the custard sauce
- To make the custard, place the milk, cream, and salt in a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture steaming.
- Then, in a bowl, whisk sugar and egg yolks. Combine half the warm milk with the yolks. Gradually whisk this blend into the rest of the milk in the saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Pour the egg yolk mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl and let cool, at room temperature, for about 30 minutes. Then, cover and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Make the pudding
- Grease a 1.5-quart heat proof metal bowl with butter. Trace the base of the bowl on a sheet of parchment paper; cut out a parchment paper round and use it to line the bottom of the bowl.
- Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Blend butter until it looks like coarse breadcrumbs. Add sugar, currants, raisins, lemon zest, and mix. Gradually add milk and vanilla. The batter will be very thick.
- Spoon the batter into the bowl and smooth it into an even layer. Cover the bowl with buttered parchment paper.
- Wrap a double layer of aluminum foil over the bowl. Secure it by wrapping kitchen twine twice around the top of the bowl and tying it tightly. Create a handle by tying another piece of string to the twine on opposite sides of the bowl.
- Create a steaming setup by placing an upside-down metal steamer basket in a deep pot with 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Place the bowl in the pot, ensuring it doesn’t touch the water. Cover and steam for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 40 minutes until the pudding is set. Use an instant-read thermometer; it should read about 180°F (82°C). Adjust the heat and add water if needed to maintain the simmer.
- Remove the bowl from the pot. Then remove the string, aluminum foil, and paper towel. Allow to cool in the bowl for 10 minutes.
- Invert the pudding onto a plate and serve it warm with cooled custard sauce.
How to store Spotted Dick?
You can store Spotted Dick in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can also freeze it for up to 2-3 months to extend its shelf life. Just make sure it’s properly wrapped or stored in a freezer-safe container to maintain its freshness.
Another fairly standard dessert (from a nutrition standpoint): lots of sugar, white flour, and saturated fats (from butter, milk, and cream). Such a combination of nutrients cannot be considered an example of healthy eating, so all I can recommend is to approach your diet consciously and monitor the portion size of this dessert. Remember that we allocate no more than 10-15% of our daily calorie intake for "soul food."
1. Heat milk, cream, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until steamed.
2. Add together sugar and egg yolks in a bowl; whisk until well combined. Gradually pour half of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the milk mixture in the saucepan. Cook the egg yolk mixture over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until it is just slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla extract. Strain egg yolk mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl; let cool, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. Cover loosely and refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour.
4. While custard sauce cools, grease a 1.5-quart heat proof metal bowl with butter. Trace the base of the bowl on a sheet of parchment paper; cut out a parchment round and use it to line the bottom of the bowl.
5. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cut butter into the flour mixture by hand or with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar, currants, raisins, and lemon zest until well combined. Gradually stir in milk and vanilla just until combined. The batter will be very thick.
6. Spoon the batter into the prepared bowl, smoothing it into an even layer. Cover the bowl loosely with a piece of buttered parchment paper.
7. Cover the bowl tightly with a double layer of aluminum foil. Wrap kitchen twine twice around the top edge of the bowl and tie tightly to secure the aluminum foil; tie another piece of string onto twine on opposite sides of the bowl to create a handle.
8. Place an expandable metal steamer basket upside down in a large, deep pot to create a perforated platform. Fill the pot with about 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer over low heat. Place the bowl in the pot. (The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water.) Cover and simmer until the pudding is set, and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register about 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and add more water as needed.
9. Gently remove the bowl from the pot using the string handle; remove and discard twine, aluminum foil, and parchment paper. Let cool in the bowl for 10 minutes.
10. Invert the pudding onto a serving plate; remove the bowl and discard the parchment. Serve warm with chilled custard sauce.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.
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For an extra burst of citrusy brightness, consider adding a dash of fresh lemon juice to the custard sauce. It adds a layer of freshness that beautifully complements the sweet and spiced notes of the Spotted Dick pudding. Enjoy each spoonful of this classic treat with a symphony of flavors!
