How to Make Spotted Dick

Spotted Dick is a traditional British dessert or pudding, the pudding referring to a steamed sponge pudding.

What is Spotted Dick?

It is a steamed suet pudding containing dried fruit (usually currants) and normally served with custard.

Spotted refers to the fruit which resembles spots.

The earliest reported use for this dish was from 1847.

The dick part of the name is a little unclear, one account says that the original name for it being pudding, changed over time to puddink, then to puddick, shortened to dick.

Another version states that dick, dog and duff are all terms to describe this type of pudding, derivatives of dough.

Ingredients for Spotted Dick

100g / 4oz Self Raising Flour

A pinch of Salt

75g / 3oz Shredded Suet

75g / 3oz Fresh Breadcrumbs

50g / 2oz Caster Sugar

175g / 6oz Currants

Grated rind of 1 Lemon

Approx. 5 tbsp Milk

How to make Spotted Dick

• Place all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Make a well in the centre of the mixture then gradually add the milk to form a soft dough.
  
• Knead lightly until smooth.
  
• Turn onto a floured surface and roll out to an oblong about 22 x 28cm or 9 x 11
  
• Bring a large pan of water to the boil.
  
• Make a pleat in a large sheet of greaseproof paper or a clean tea towel, to allow for expansion, wrap the pudding loosely, tying each end with string (like an Xmas cracker).
  
• Steam or boil for 2 hours.
  
• Serve your Spotted Dick hot with custard

To make the custard, the best way is by using custard powder, sugar and milk.

For approximately one pint;

You will need-

Milk- one pint

Sugar- 2 tablespoons(35g)

Custard Powder- 2 tablespoons(35g)

Place the sugar and custard powder into a bowl, add a little of the milk. Enough to mix into a smooth paste. The remaining milk should be brought to nearly boiling, pour onto the custard mix, stirring well. Return to the saucepan and gently bring to the boil, stirring all the time.

Alternatively you could mix the three ingredients together and cook in the microwave for approximately 6 minutes, stopping and stirring halfway through the cooking time.

Serves 4