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Mrs Crocombe is back in the kitchen, today preparing a steamed pudding which makes use of stale sponge cake by freshening it up with preserved fruit. This dish is ideal for the "hungry months" between March and May when, in the Victorian period, there was little fresh produce available for many people.
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INGREDIENTS
For this recipe, you will need...
• Dried of glacé cherries
• Candied angelica
• Candied peel and stem ginger
• A 115g / 4oz sponge cake, which may be stale
• 115g / 4oz amaretti biscuits or macaroons
• 450ml / 16oz full fat milk or single cream
• 85g / 3oz sugar
• 5 small egg yolks and 2 whites
• 55ml / 2oz brandy
METHOD
You will need a plain mould for this, to hold 1-2 UK pints. A pudding basin is ideal, but a charlotte mould also works.
1. Prepare your decoration by slicing the ginger into rounds (or stamping into shapes), cutting the angelica to fit your mould and cutting the peel, if using, as suits.
2. Slice your sponge cake to fit the mould as well.
3. Next, prepare a custard by heating the milk in a pan with the sugar and flavourings and pouring it onto the lightly beaten eggs. Put this back into the pan and cook over a low heat until it thickens slightly. Do not scramble the eggs! Alternatively, if you are an unconfident custard maker, put all of the custard ingredients into a pan along with the cornflour, and heat, whisking or stirring with a spatula, until it thickens.
4. Add the brandy and set aside to cool (if it is a warm day, stand the pan in some cold water to speed things along)
5. Grease your mould very well. Now decorate with your prepared candied items, sticking everything firmly into the butter but ensuring that your decoration only comes ¾ of the way up the sides.
6. Carefully place a layer of sponge cake in the bottom of the mould, on top of the decoration, pressing firmly. Now add a layer of biscuits, then cake, then biscuits, and repeat until the mould is ¾ full. Press well.
7. Carefully pour in the hopefully fairly cool custard and allow it to seep to the bottom of the mould, adding more gradually until the mould is full. Put a greased piece of paper on top, then tie on a pudding cloth to keep in in place (you can also use a saucer).
8. Lower the basin into a pan of boiling water, which should come about 2/3 way up the mould. Put a lid on the pan and steam for around an hour, keeping the water at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.
9. Remove from the water when done and turn out. Serve with wine sauce, if wanted - though the pudding should be moist enough on its own.
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12 май 2024
