Spotted Dick with Cream Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cup all-pur pose our 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 tsp salt 5 ounces shredded beef suet

Instructions

1. 1

   (highly recommended for best results, but can substitute 10 tablespoons chilled butter, diced) 2/3 cup sugar 1 cup dried currants 3/4 cup milk 2 teaspoons quality vanilla extract Zest of one large lemon Vanilla Custard: 1 cup heavy cream 1 cup whole milk 4 large egg yolks 1 tablespoon quality vanilla bean paste not extract or one vanilla bean, slit open len g th w i se) 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2 teaspoons cornstarch Place metal cookie cutters, a folded towel, or crumpled tin foil in the bottom of a large stock pot to prevent the pudding mold from touching the bottom of the pot.

2. 2

   Add water and bring to a boil.

3. 3

   Generously grease a 1.6 liter pudding mold. .

4. 4

   Place the our, sugar, baking powder, salt and suet (or butter) in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand.

5. 5

   Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

6. 6

   Add the milk, lemon zest, vanilla extract and currants and stir until combined.

7. 7

   Scoop the batter into the prepared pudding mold and secure it tightly with the lid.

8. 8

   Lower the pudding mold into the boiling water so that the water comes up to the halfway point of the pudding mold.

9. 9

   Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer undisturbed for 3-4 hours if using suet (it has a ver y high melting point and needs that amount of time to melt and create the "pockets" throughout the pudding that yields the characteristic light/spong y texture associated with suet-based puddings) or about 90 minutes if using butter.

10. 10

    You'll likely need to weight the pudding mold down with something heavy to keep it from bobbing up and down in the water.

11. 11

    I use a plate and then put something heavy on top of it, like another bowl.

12. 12

    Check the water level periodically and add more water as needed to keep it at the halfway point of the pudding tin.