When I say treacle pudding is a dessert worthy of the hallowed halls of the wizarding world, I mean just that. My kids love Harry Potter and we often find ourselves immersed in the enchanted world of broomsticks and refectory dinners. I have it on good authority that Harry Potter’s favourite dessert is treacle tart and I have often wondered, why not treacle pudding? Sticky, steaming puddings with lashings of hot custard are the stuff of boarding school lore.
Despite the old-school charm, the downside is that it requires two hours' supervision
My memory of steamed pudding is a shop-bought one encased in a sealed metal can. My Dad would steam it in a pot (it clattered endlessly and I lived in terror of it exploding, although it never did). The pudding was always perfectly cooked when released with a tin opener. I haven’t seen a product like it in years. A traditional homemade steamed pudding often contains suet and is made in a shatter-proof pudding basin.
Despite the old-school charm, the downside is that it requires two hours’ supervision and diligent topping up with water so the pot doesn’t dry out. Few people have the time or nerves for this task, but the good news is, modern technology – the microwave – enables us to steam mini puddings, although I do my pudding in the oven.
Treacle is bitter, thick and tarry and most treacle pudding recipes (similarly with treacle tart) hardly contain any treacle, but rather golden syrup.
As an alternative to a dome-shaped pudding, I prefer making my treacle pudding in a shallow rectangular dish so the pudding steams in half the time. The larger surface area also provides more equitable portions of simultaneously syrupy and gritty breadcrumbs oozing through the base (this is the type of thing you consider when you are from a large family and also the youngest). While the sweetness is delightful, the lemon zest and juice help cut through the richness. The internal steam created gives a lovely light fluffy sponge.
If you are brave enough, turn it upside down when serving so the gritty syrup is on top.
Treacle Pudding
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 35g breadcrumbs
- 175g golden syrup
- 1 small lemon, zest & juice
- 180g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
- 180g soft brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 180g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 150ml milk
- 50ml treacle
- 100ml whipped cream, to serve
Method
1. Preheat oven to 190°C fan. Grease a medium size (approx 1 litre) rectangular ovenproof dish with butter and scatter the breadcrumbs over the base.
2. Gently heat the golden syrup (do not allow it to boil), add in the lemon juice and zest, then pour evenly over breadcrumbs (without stirring).
3. Using an electric handheld whisk, cream the butter and sugar until pale then gradually add in eggs. Sieve together the flour and baking powder and mix them in.
4. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and add treacle (don’t worry if it looks a little lumpy) and whisk into the batter until fully combined.
5. Pour the batter over the syrupy base. Cover with greaseproof paper (creating a fold in the paper will allow room for the pudding to expand) and fit tightly with foil.
6. Create a water bath by filling a deep sided baking tray with 1-2cm boiling water and sit the pudding dish in the water. Cook in a preheated oven for 50-60 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. The pudding is cooked when it is slightly risen and the surface is firm.
7. Serve with whipped cream.
VARIATION:
To steam in a pudding bowl, add less of the golden syrup/breadcrumb mix to the base of a 1 litre pyrex pudding bowl, fill to two thirds full with batter, cover and use twine to secure with paper and foil. Put the bowl sitting on top of a saucer in a large pot, pour in enough water to come half way up the sides. Simmer for 1½- 2 hours until risen and firm.
