James Ashworth
The Warmth of a Traditional Pudding
When the nights draw in and the wind rattles the windowpanes, there is no better remedy than a traditional British pudding. These are not fussy, restaurant-style desserts. They are generous, rib-sticking affairs that fill the kitchen with the scent of cinnamon, treacle and baked apples. They use what the season offers — stored apples, pears, forced rhubarb, dried fruit and oats — and they ask for little more than patience and a warm oven. A steamed sponge, a slow-baked rice pudding, or a bubbling fruit crumble are the edible equivalent of a woolly jumper. Here is how to make them part of your cold-evening routine.
Steamed Sponge Puddings: A Blanket in a Bowl
Steamed puddings are the heart of British winter cooking. The technique is simple: a buttery sponge batter is placed in a pudding basin, covered tightly, and cooked over simmering water until it is light, moist and steaming. The classic is treacle sponge, with a generous spoonful of golden syrup at the bottom of the basin. Jam roly-poly, lemon curd sponge and sticky date pudding all follow the same principle.
A reliable sponge uses equal weights of soft butter, caster sugar and self-raising flour, plus two eggs and a teaspoon of baking powder. Cream the butter and sugar until pale, beat in the eggs one at a time, then fold in the flour. Add a splash of milk if the batter feels stiff. For a treacle sponge, butter the basin well and pour in three tablespoons of golden syrup before adding the batter.
Cover the basin with a pleated layer of baking parchment and then foil, tying it securely with string. Place it in a large pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides. Steam for 1½ to 2 hours, topping up with boiling water as needed. Turn out onto a warm plate and serve with hot custard or double cream. The first spoonful is pure comfort.
Rice Pudding: Patience Rewarded
Rice pudding is the slowest of all British puddings, and that is precisely its charm. It requires nothing more than pudding rice, full-fat milk, a little sugar and a grating of nutmeg. The oven does the work while you read, knit or simply listen to the rain.
Use 100g of pudding rice, 1 litre of whole milk, 50g of caster sugar and 25g of butter. Butter a deep ovenproof dish, add the rice and sugar, then pour over the milk. Dot with butter and grate over fresh nutmeg. Bake at 150°C (130°C fan) for 2 to 2½ hours. Stir once after the first hour to stop the rice settling, but leave it alone after that so a golden skin can form. The pudding is ready when the rice is tender and the milk has thickened to a creamy consistency. For a festive twist, stir in a handful of raisins or sultanas before baking, or add a teaspoon of cinnamon. Serve warm, with a spoonful of jam if you like.
Fruit Crumble: Seasonal and Simple
Fruit crumble is the most forgiving of all winter puddings. It welcomes whatever fruit you have — Bramley apples, pears, frozen blackberries, forced rhubarb, even a handful of plums. The topping is a rough rub of flour, butter and sugar, often with oats or chopped nuts for crunch.
For the fruit base, peel and slice 700g of apples or pears. Toss with 50g of sugar (more if the fruit is sharp), a teaspoon of cinnamon or mixed spice, and a squeeze of lemon juice. If using blackberries or rhubarb, add them raw to the dish. For the crumble, rub 150g of cold butter into 200g of plain flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in 100g of demerara sugar and 50g of porridge oats. Scatter over the fruit and bake at 180°C (160°C fan) for 40 to 45 minutes, until the topping is golden and the fruit juices bubble at the edges.
Let it stand for ten minutes before serving. The crumble is best with custard, but clotted cream or vanilla ice cream will do nicely. Any leftovers can be reheated gently in the oven — though the topping will lose some of its crunch.
Practical Tips for Pudding Success
These puddings are simple, but a few small details make a big difference. Keep these in mind:
- Use room-temperature butter and eggs for sponges; they emulsify better and give a lighter crumb.
- Do not overmix once the flour goes in. Fold gently until just combined.
- Butter your basin generously and use a pleated cover so the pudding can rise without the paper sticking.
- For rice pudding, use full-fat milk and a wide dish. More surface area means more skin, which many consider the best part.
- Make crumble topping in bulk and freeze it. It keeps for three months and goes straight onto fruit from frozen.
- Reheat gently. Steamed puddings can be re-steamed for 30 minutes; rice pudding can be stirred with a little milk and warmed through.
Slow Evenings, Slow Puddings
These puddings are not just food; they are a way of marking time. They ask you to slow down, to wait, to fill the house with warmth and scent. A steamed sponge, a rice pudding or a crumble is an invitation to gather around the table, to ladle out custard, and to let the cold evening do its worst outside. In a world that rushes, a traditional British pudding is a small act of defiance — and a delicious one at that. So next time the forecast threatens frost, reach for your pudding basin, your rice and your apples. The kitchen will thank you.
