Sussex pond pudding

There are some days when the cold and lack of light are such that only some rib-sticking suet will do. For those days, make this marvellously old-school English pudding, first referenced in 1672.

SERVES FOUR TO SIX INGREDIENTS

100g diced cold butter, plus more for greasing

120g self-raising flour, plus more for rolling 100g shredded suet 120ml milk 100g soft light brown sugar 1 unwaxed lemon, slashed a few times with a sharp knife (a thin-skinned variety is best)

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4.

Grease a one-litre pudding basin with butter and line with baking parchment.

Stir the flour, suet and a pinch of salt together in a large bowl. Mix in the milk and carefully bring together into a dough firm enough to roll out to line the pudding basin. Don’t over-mix, and add a little flour if the dough seems too wet.

Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until just large enough to line the basin. Cut out one quarter as a wedge and reserve as the lid.

Line the basin with the largest piece of pastry, sealing the joins by slightly overlapping, wetting a little and pressing together.

Mix the butter and sugar together, leaving the butter cubes intact and put half inside the pastry. Place the slashed lemon on top and bury in the remaining sugar and butter.

Roll out the remaining pastry to make a lid, wet the edge of the pastry in the basin a little and press the lid on to seal.

Cover the pudding with pleated foil or baking parchment and secure with string.

Bring a large ovenproof pan of water to the boil and lower the pudding basin into it; the water should come halfway up the side. Cover and place in the