Lemony Pond Pudding

Lemony Pond Pudding Serves 6 FOOD FACTS The first recorded puddings were a Based on a Sussex pond pudding, this traditional mixture of meat and cereals stuffed into dessert is cut open to reveal tangy slices of lemon in the stomach or intestines of an animal a rich butterscotch and lemon sauce. and then boiled. The first mention of the pudding cloth occurred in John Murrell’s 1617 recipe for Cambridge Pudding, For the pastry a boiled fruit pudding. butter, for greasing Sussex Pond Pudding is so called 250g self-raising flour, plus extra for rolling because it contains a large amount 50g fresh white breadcrumbs of butter in the centre which melts 150g shredded suet during boiling or steaming. When 1 tbsp demerara sugar the pudding is turned onto a plate finely grated zest 1 orange the butter seeps out surrounding it with a “pond” of buttery juices. freshly squeezed juice 1 orange Historical facts provided by Monica Askay, Cook and Food Historian For the filling One large lemon thinly sliced 175g demerera sugar 175g cold butter, cut into 2 cm cubes crème fraiche, double cream or ice cream ① Butter a 900ml heatproof pudding basin and line the ⑥ Roll out the reserved pastry on a lightly floured base with a circle of baking parchment. surface. Brush with water and flip over on top of the pudding. Press the pastry edges together firmly to seal ② To make the pastry, put the flour, breadcrumbs, suet, and trim neatly. orange zest and sugar in a large bowl and mix together lightly. Measure the orange juice into a jug and add ⑦ Cover with pleated baking parchment and foil and enough cold water to bring the level of liquid up to tie with string. Place on a trivet or upturned saucer 200ml. in a very large saucepan and add enough just-boiled water to rise halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover ③ Pour the liquid onto the suet mixture and stir with a and bring to the boil on the hob. Reduce the heat to a wooden spoon until the dough comes together and simmer and cook for 3 ½ hours, topping up the water forms a ball. Knead very lightly on a floured surface for when necessary. a few seconds until very soft and pliable. ⑧ Remove the basin carefully from the water and stand ④ Break off roughly two thirds of the dough and form for 2 minutes. Snip off the string and remove the foil into a ball. Roll out into a circle around 5mm thick. and paper. Loosen the sides of the pudding with a Use the dough to line the inside of the buttered basin, round-bladed knife. Invert the pudding onto a plate leaving the excess overhanging the sides. Keep the and allow to drop gently down. (The pudding will remaining third of the dough aside for the lid. look slightly sunk on the top and the pastry should be ⑤ Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of the sugar into the golden.) Serve with lots of crème fraiche, double cream lined basin and dot with 4-5 cubes of butter. Top with or ice cream. a couple of the lemon slices. Repeat the layers until all the ingredients are used, adding a little extra to each layer as the basin becomes wider. FOOD FACTS Suet now refers to beef fat from the loin and kidney area and has traditionally been used in puddings, dumplings and mincemeat. Shredded suet was first prepared industrially in the late 1800s. Vegetarian suet is now also available. Thought to have originated in Northern India, the lemon reached the Mediterranean via Roman trade during the first century. The Arabs are credited with spreading lemon cultivation around the Mediterranean and eastwards to China. Historical facts provided by Monica Askay, Cook and Food Historian.

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