STEAMED DATE PUDDING WITH BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
There are some dishes you shouldn’t mess with, and this is one of them. Just thinking about it makes me feel like a kid again. In an age of microwaves and fast food, it may seem odd having to steam a pudding for two hours, but this old-fashioned dessert well rewards the time you invest, I promise.
Servings
8
Servings
8
Ingredients
FOR THE BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
Instructions
  1. Grease an 850ml pudding basin and line the bottom with a circle of baking paper. Cut another circle of baking paper about 5cm bigger than the top of the basin and make a 2cm pleat in the middle.
  2. Sift the flour into a large bowl, then add the suet, walnuts, dates, orange zest, sugar and treacle and stir together.
  3. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg, then add the milk and mix well. Slowly pour this liquid into the flour mixture, stirring constantly until well incorporated. Pour into the prepared pudding basin. Place the pleated paper circle on top of the pudding and cover with pleated foil. Tie securely in place with string, looping it across the top to make a handle.
  4. Put a trivet or heatproof saucer in a large saucepan. Sit the pudding on top and pour in enough water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 2–2¼ hours, topping up the water as necessary. When cooked, lift the pudding out of the water and leave it to sit for 5 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the butter, sugar, syrup, salt and vanilla seeds into a small saucepan and place over a medium heat until everything has melted together. Stir in the cream and bubble for 5 minutes, until the mixture has thickened slightly.
  6. Unwrap the pudding, invert it onto a serving plate and remove the small paper circle. Serve wedges or spoonfuls of the pudding with a generous drizzle of the butterscotch sauce.
USING SUET
  1. Suet has fallen out of favour but is a feature of many classic British puddings, from Jam Roly-poly to Spotted Dick. It adds texture and depth of flavour to your cooking, but if you prefer, you can grate in frozen butter as an alternative