LEMON AND RAISIN SPONGE PUDDING
SERVES 6–8
INGREDIENTS
150g butter, softened, plus extra to grease the basin
100g raisins
150g fine plain wholemeal flour
2 level tsp baking powder
A pinch of salt
75g golden caster sugar
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1 lemon
3 medium eggs
LEMONY TOPPING
Juice of 1 lemon (use the other zested lemon, see above) 2 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
TO SERVE
Cream, yoghurt, crème fraîche or custard
Is it a steamed lemon pudding? Is it a spotted dick? I’d say it’s both. A lemony dick no less... Crank up the comfort factor on a chilly evening or indulgent weekend lunchtime with this hot, light and fruity pud.
METHOD
1 Butter an 850ml pudding basin.
2 For the lemony topping, in a small bowl stir together the lemon juice and brown sugar until well blended (don’t worry if the sugar doesn’t fully dissolve). Tip this mixture into the buttered basin.
3 Toss the raisins with 1 tbsp of the flour and set aside (the flour coating helps to stop the raisins sinking as the pudding cooks). Combine the remaining flour with the baking powder and salt.
4 Put the butter, sugar and lemon zest into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Using an electric hand mixer or the stand mixer, beat together until light and fluffy. Add one egg, with a spoonful of the flour mix, and beat in. Repeat to incorporate the other two eggs.
5 Tip the remaining flour into the mixture and use a large spoon to fold it in lightly but thoroughly, then fold in the lemon juice. Finally, lightly fold in the floured raisins.
6 Spoon the mixture carefully into the pudding basin – the lemony topping at the bottom will rise up the sides; don’t worry about this. Cover the basin with a pleated sheet of foil or a pleated double layer of baking paper and secure with string under the rim.
7 Put a small plate or trivet in the base of a large, deep saucepan and stand the pudding on it. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and place over a low to medium heat to bring the water to a simmer. Steam the pudding like this for 2 hours, topping up the boiling water a couple of times as it cooks.
8 Lift the pudding basin out of the pan and remove the foil or baking paper. Loosen the sides of the pudding with the tip of a knife, then carefully invert the pudding on to a plate.
Serve the pudding in slices, with a trickle of cream, or a spoonful of yoghurt or crème fraîche.