Steamed Pudding Quick Dessert Recipes: Treacle Pudding, Spotted Dick, and More

Steamed puddings have been enjoyed for centuries and are quite common to British cuisine. Unlike baked puddings, steamed puddings are made by steaming batter in a sealed container that is placed in a pot of simmering water. The result is a moist, tender, rich and indulgent dessert. Here are some steamed pudding recipes that you can make at home.

Steamed Treacle Pudding

Ingredients:

• 177 g flour
• 57 g dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 71 g cold cubed butter
• 1 egg
• 150 ml milk
• 1 tbsp golden syrup + 5 tbsp for the pudding basin
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Zest and juice of an orange

Instructions:

• Grease a 1-liter pudding basin with butter. Set aside.
• Mix flour, baking soda, ground ginger, and sugar together in a bowl.
• Mix the butter into the dry ingredients using your fingers so the flour resembles breadcrumbs.
• In another bowl, add egg, milk, golden syrup, vanilla extract, orange zest, and juice. Mix until well combined.
• Then add the liquid ingredients into the dry ones and mix well.
• Add about 5 tablespoons of the golden syrup into the pudding basin and swirl it around so it covers the bottom evenly.
• Finally pour the prepared batter into the pudding basin. Add a parchment paper lid over this, then a layer of foil. Secure the dish with a string.
• Place your steamer into a large pot with simmering water. Else, make your own steamer by upturning a heatproof plate and placing the pudding dish over it.
• Cover and steam for an hour and a half. You may have to replenish the water in the pot.
• Remove the parchment paper and foil, and carefully upturn the pudding into a serving dish.
• Serve the treacle pudding while it’s still warm with some whipped cream or good quality vanilla ice cream.

Spotted Dick

Ingredients:

• 250 g flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 125 g cold vegetable shortening or butter
• 180 g currants
• 80 g caster sugar
• Zest of a lemon
• Zest of a small orange
• 150 ml milk
• Pinch of salt

Instructions:

• First put flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
• Next, add vegetable shortening or butter, along with the citrus zests, currants, and sugar.
• Add the milk into this mixture and combine all the ingredients. If the mix is stodgy or thick, add a few more splashes of milk.
• Shape the dough into a log that is about 20 centimeters long.
• Place it on a baking tray covered with parchment paper, then wrap the log in it. Secure the ends of the parchment paper log with some string.
• Place the pudding log in a steamer for 1 ½ hours. Top the water regularly, if needed.
• Remove the pudding log from the steamer, unwrap, and slice. Serve warm with some homemade custard.

Steamed Jam Pudding

Ingredients:

• 175g flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 175g softened butter
• 175g caster sugar
• 3 tbsp jam
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs

Instructions:

• Grease the bottom and sides of a 900 ml pudding basin, then spread 3 generous tablespoons of jam to the bottom.
• In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then add all the three eggs into this. Whisk until you achieve a smooth consistency.
• Sift the flour in another bowl, then fold it into the wet ingredients in batches.
• Transfer the batter into the prepared pudding dish.
• Create lids made with parchment paper and foil. Secure the pudding basin and the lids with a string or twine.
• Place the pudding basin into a steamer and cook for about 2 hours. Top up the water in the steamer occasionally.
• Once done, lift the pudding dish from the steamer, remove the lids, and upturn the dessert onto a serving dish.
• Serve it warm with some creme anglaise, custard, or vanilla ice cream.