Okay, so I saw this recipe online for something called “Spotted Dick,” and the name alone made me laugh. I mean, come on, it sounds ridiculous. But apparently, it’s a classic British pudding, and the name just refers to the dried fruit in it. So, I figured, why not give it a shot? I love trying new things, and I’m always up for a baking challenge (even if it ends up being a total disaster).
First, I had to gather all the ingredients. Seemed simple enough:
- Flour
- Suet (which, let me tell you, was a bit of a quest to find)
- Sugar
- Milk
- Dried fruit (I used a mix of currants and raisins)
- Some spices (I think I threw in some nutmeg and cinnamon)
I started by mixing the dry stuff – the flour, suet, sugar, and spices – in a big bowl. Gotta say, working with suet is kinda weird. It’s like…crumbly fat. Not the most appealing thing, but hey, that’s baking for you.
Then, I added the milk bit by bit, mixing it all together until it formed a sort of sticky dough. It wasn’t the prettiest dough I’ve ever seen, I’ll admit. More like a lumpy, pale blob.
Next, I dumped in the dried fruit and mixed it all up. This part was easy, just making sure the fruit was evenly distributed throughout the dough.
The Steaming Process
Now, here’s where things got interesting. Apparently, you’re supposed to steam this thing, not bake it. I didn’t have a proper pudding basin, so I just used a heatproof bowl and hoped for the best. I greased the bowl, plopped the dough in, and covered it with some parchment paper and foil. Then, I set it in a big pot with some boiling water, making sure the water didn’t touch the bottom of the bowl. Like a makeshift double boiler.
I left it to steam for what felt like forever – about 2 or 3 hours. I kept checking the water level to make sure it didn’t boil dry. The whole kitchen started to smell pretty good, though, all warm and spicy.
The Final Result (and Verdict)
Finally, I took it out, let it cool for a bit, and flipped it out onto a plate. It looked…well, like a steamed pudding. Kind of pale and a bit wobbly. But, I sliced into it, and it actually looked pretty good inside – all soft and fluffy, with the fruit scattered throughout.
I served it with some custard (because that’s what you’re supposed to do, apparently), and…it was surprisingly tasty! It’s kind of like a warm, comforting bread pudding, but with a bit more…density? The suet gave it a really rich flavor, and the dried fruit added some * was quite the experiance!
So, yeah, “Spotted Dick.” Weird name, decent pudding. Would I make it again? Maybe. It was a fun experiment, and it definitely lived up to its name in the sense that it was…memorable. And hey, I can now say I’ve made (and eaten) Spotted Dick.
