Winter warmers
Whether steamed, baked or burnished to a deep caramel, these winter desserts will bring comfort on the chilliest of days
Chocolate, marmalade and ginger steamed pudding
Chocolate and marmalade are a magnificent match in this traditional pudding, made more delicious with nuggets of stem ginger. The moist sponge is given a generous marmalade crown, but it doesn’t have rivers of sauce, so it’s best served with custard.
SERVES SIX TO EIGHT INGREDIENTS
175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 5 heaped tbsp marmalade 50g (3 balls) preserved stem ginger from a jar, chopped, plus 1-2 tbsp syrup from the jar (if needed)
175g plain flour
45g cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder Pinch of salt
175g caster sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten 4-5 tbsp milk
Custard or ice cream, to serve
METHOD
Generously grease a 1.2-litre pudding basin with butter and line the base with a circle of baking paper. Butter a large square of foil.
If your marmalade is very firm, stir in some of the stem ginger syrup: what you want is a loose mixture. Spoon the marmalade into the bottom of the basin and set aside.
Using a fork or balloon whisk, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little of the flour mixture if it starts to curdle. Stir in the flour mixture and enough of the milk to form a soft dropping consistency. Fold in the chopped stem ginger.
Spoon the mixture into the basin and smooth the top. Make two pleats in the centre of the prepared foil, place buttered-side down and secure with string around the rim.
Place an upturned saucer in a large pan and place the basin on top. Pour in enough boiling water to come a quarter of the way up the side of the basin. Cover with a lid and simmer for an hour and three quarters, topping up with more boiling water if necessary.
Remove the basin from the pan, run a knife around the sides to loosen and invert on to a plate. Serve with custard or ice cream.
Recipe from Cocoa by Sue Quinn (Quadrille, £25)
Lemon fluff with limoncello cream
This is a gorgeous old-fashioned family pudding that separates into two quite distinct layers when it cooks; it has a lovely fluffy top and a creamy lemon base, provided it is not overcooked.
SERVES FOUR TO SIX INGREDIENTS
40g butter
225g caster sugar
3 free-range eggs, separated 75g plain flour
2 organic, unwaxed lemons 300ml whole milk
Icing sugar, to decorate 300ml softly whipped cream flavoured with limoncello, or crème fraîche, to serve
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4. Cream the butter until really soft, then add the caster sugar and beat well. Whisk in the egg yolks one by one, then stir in the flour. Grate the rind of two lemons on the finest part of the grater. Squeeze and strain the juice and add the rind and juice, then add the milk. Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until stiff and fold gently into the lemon mixture. Pour into a 1.2-litre pie dish, place in a bain-marie and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Dredge with icing sugar. Serve immediately alongside the softly whipped cream flavoured to taste with limoncello, or some crème fraîche.
Recipe from Simply Delicious by Darina Allen (Kyle Books, £20)