Ingredients
Spotted Dick
Vanilla custard
Method
1.Place raisins, dates, brown sugar and zests in a small bowl and mix well.
2.Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the grated suet and a pinch of salt. Add a quarter of the milk and mix with a fork. Gradually add more milk until mixture comes together, then gently knead with your hands. The dough should be soft and elastic; if it’s too dry, add a little more milk.
3.Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and roll into a 30cm x 20cm rectangle. Trim the edges with a knife. Spread fruit-and-sugar mixture evenly over the dough, leaving clear a 1.5cm border all the way around.
4.Brush border with beaten egg then, starting from a long edge, carefully roll up dough to form a cigar shape. Press down at either end to seal.
5.Boil the kettle then place a clean tea towel in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave to soak for 1 minute then wring out. Lay tea towel on bench, place dough log along one edge and roll up in tea towel. Twist each end tightly and tie with kitchen string. Place in steamer and steam for 2 hours.
6.To make custard, place cream in a pan with split vanilla pod and bring to the boil. When it starts boiling, turn off heat.
7.Place egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a bowl and whisk thoroughly. Gradually whisk in hot cream. Remove vanilla pod, place on a board, scoop out the seeds with a small knife and mix into the custard.
8.Pour custard into the pan used for the cream and gently heat, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until thick (2 minutes or so). It is ready when it coats the back of a spoon. Pour into a clean bowl and set aside to cool. Once cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.
9.To serve, unwrap and slice pudding. Put a ladleful of cold custard in a bowl followed by a slice of hot spotted dick and dust with icing sugar.
