Honey pudding

This is a delightful and easy to prepare self-saucing pudding from the Journal of Agriculture Cookery Book, first published in 1955.

The recipes contained in it are, according to the back cover, “written by Field Officers in Rural Sociology at the Department of Agriculture”. Nevertheless, they taste good. The pudding’s golden colour is particularly welcoming on cool autumn nights. Vanilla or hokey pokey ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream would make ideal accompaniments.

4 tbsp butter

¹/3 cup sugar

½ cup milk

¾ cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

4 tbsp currants

1½ tsp grated lemon rind 1½ cups boiling water

½ cup liquid or other honey Pinch of salt

1 Preheat oven to 180°C.

2 Cream 2 tbsp of the butter, then add the sugar gradually, beating well after each addition.

3 Pour in 2 tbsp of the milk and beat again.

4 Add the sifted flour and baking powder alternately with the remaining milk, then continue beating until the mixture is smooth.

5 Stir in the currants and grated lemon rind.

6 Spread the batter in a well-greased baking dish.

7 Mix together the boiling water, remaining 2 tbsp butter, honey and salt until dissolved.

8 Pour the syrup over the batter and bake in the oven for 35 minutes.