There’s a steamed pudding on the stove, a porky version of the traditional steak and kidney, sending rivulets of condensation down the kitchen windows. Unfashionable, yes, but, goodness, what a feast.
You can’t hear a cake baking, but you can certainly hear a pudding steaming. The soft rattle and putter of a pud cooking, the sound of deep comfort and joy or a mild dose of tinnitus depending on your outlook, is a subtle reminder that dinner, and a rib-sticking one at that, is on its way.
And what a dinner. A vast dish to be shared is a fine thing, but there is something rather sweet about having a tiny one, all to oneself. They are less trouble than you think. A large one is good-natured and will keep in perfect condition for half an hour after it’s ready. Individual ones will probably keep well, too – the water under them switched off, the pan still covered.
Turning any suet pudding out on to a plate, to stand up in a chubby dome, fills me with terror. I tried with the following recipe and it did me proud, standing straight as a top hat, in textbook style. That said, it is easier to serve straight from the bowl brought, swaddled in a tea towel, to the table.
There are pitfalls. Using too much suet can render your crust as heavy as a wet duvet; allowing the water to creep under the foil will turn your pastry into a bloated sponge. Leaving the pan to boil dry will crack the dish. Other than that, a steamed pudding is a doddle. The only reason not to get one on right now is if we let fashion, that shallow, pointless killer of good eating, tell us not to.
Chocolate and banana steamed puddings
Makes 5 small puddings
butter 120g, plus a little extra
light muscovado sugar 70g
caster sugar 70g
eggs 2
self-raising flour 120g
bananas 120g (peeled weight)
lemon juice of ½
dark chocolate 60g
For the chocolate sauce:
dark chocolate 100g
Lightly butter the inside of five small (250ml) pudding tins. Cut out five small discs of baking parchment and place them in the base of each one.
Cut the butter into small pieces, put them in the bowl of a food mixer fitted with a flat beater, add the sugars then beat until pale and fluffy.
Break the eggs into a small bowl, beat lightly then add them, a little at a time, to the butter and sugar. If the mixture curdles, add a little of the flour. Gently fold in the flour. Chop the bananas finely, toss them in the lemon juice. Chop the chocolate into small gravel-sized lumps, then fold both into the pudding mixture.
Smooth the mixture into the tins, then place in a steamer basket above a pan of boiling water, and steam for 40 minutes until light and risen.
Melt the remaining chocolate in a bowl over hot water. Run a palette knife around the inside of the tins, then turn out on to serving dishes. Remove the paper discs and spoon over the melted chocolate.
Steamed bacon and sausage pudding
You will need a heatproof pudding basin that will hold 1 litre. Serves 4
For the filling:
onion 1, medium sized
smoked pancetta 75g
olive oil 2 tbsp
chestnut mushrooms 75g
sausages 4, large
plain flour 2 tbsp
beef stock 1 litre
Dijon mustard 2 tsp
Worcestershire sauce 2 tsp
dry marsala or sherry 3 tbsp
parsley 3 tbsp, chopped
For the parsley pastry:
self-raising flour 275g
suet 135g
parsley 2 tbsp, chopped
water 100ml
butter a little
To make the filling, peel and roughly chop the onion and cut the pancetta into bite-sized cubes or strips. Warm the oil in a large, deep pan over a moderate heat, then cook the onion and pancetta until pale gold.
Thickly slice the mushrooms, cut each sausage into four or five pieces then stir them into the onions and pancetta. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Scatter the flour over the surface, stirring and cooking for a further minute or two, then pour in the hot stock and bring to the boil. Season with salt and black pepper.
Lower the heat then let the filling simmer for about 15-20 minutes until it has reduced by about half. Stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce, marsala and parsley, then cool a little.
To make the pastry, put the flour and suet into a mixing bowl, add the parsley and tumble together. Pour in the water, pulling the dough together with your hand or a wooden spoon, to a soft, but rollable consistency.
Lightly dust a wooden board with flour, break off two-thirds of the dough and roll it into a disc large enough to line the pudding basin. Lightly butter the inside of the basin to prevent the pastry sticking and to give it a good colour, too.
Line the inside of the basin with the pastry, pushing it into the base and up the sides, with a little overhanging at the rim. Roll the remaining piece of dough out to fit the top of the basin.
Ladle the filling into the lined basin. Dampen the edges of the pastry then lay the lid on top. Firmly press the lid and sides of the pastry together, trim as necessary, then lower into a very large saucepan filled with enough hot water to come half way up the sides. Cover with a lid.
Let the pudding steam for two hours, regularly topping up the water. Serve from the basin or, if you are feeling brave, turn out on to a plate.
Email Nigel at nigel.slater@observer.co.uk. Follow Nigel on Twitter @NigelSlater
Follow the Observer Magazine on Twitter @ObsMagazine
