Tuesday, April 27, 2010

SUET PUDDING - THE DARING BAKERS


For all of us Daring Bakers, the 27th of each month is a very special date. This day, marks the publishing of our blog posts related to the latest Daring Bakers' challenge. All of us are always very impatient for that day to come and very excited about the event as we then can share our successes and/or tribulations with the whole world and we are finally able to see what our international colleagues have created...

The April 2010 Daring B
akers’ challenge was hosted by Esther of "The Lilac Kitchen". She challenged everyone to make a traditional British pudding using, if possible, a very traditional British ingredient: suet.

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The word "Pudding" is believed to come from the French boudin, originally from the Latin botellus, meaning "small sausage", referring to encased meats used in Medieval European puddings. In fact, the term "Pudding" often refers to a dessert, but may also refer to a savory dish. It also has other definitions, though. In order to clear any confusion regarding this term, you have to understand that it is used to describe four different things:
  • Black or white pudding which are both sausages. Black pudding is made with blood (English version of "Boudin"). White pudding is very similar to black pudding, but it does not include blood (English version of "Boudin Blanc").
  • A generic word for dessert.
  • Any sweet or savory dish cooked in a pudding bowl or pudding cloth and steamed, boiled or sometimes baked.
  • An endearment i.e., "How are you today my pudding?".
For this very challenge we have used the th ird meaning - a dish cooked in a pudding bowl or cloth.

English puddings have had a great reputation since the 17th century. One French visitor, the protestant exile François Maximilien Mission who came to England at the end of the 17th century wrote a very interesting description in his memoirs in which he was very lyrical about the unexpectedness and variety of English puddings (" Mémoires et observations faites par un voyageur en Angleterre" published in 1698). "They bake them in an oven, they boil them with meat, they make them fifty several ways: BL ESSED BE THAT WHO INVENTED PUDDING, for it is a manna that hits the palates of all sorts of people."

There are many different sweet or savory puddings (the possibilities are nearly endless), but all are made with the same basic ingredients such as flour, milk, eggs, butter or suet (mostly suet), sugar and fresh or dried fruits (if it is the sweet version) and meat or marrow (if it is the savory version). This comforting and homely dish adapts itself perfectly to the seasons and is extremely versatile. That's surely the reason why it has b een cherished by legions of people over the centuries.

Unfortunately, this gorgeous speciality has also become the first victim of mass catering and manufacture. It's reputation has suffered from the bad image given by the unappetizing, bad quality and industrially made puddings which have been commercialized in mass in supermarkets and served in chain restaurants since decades (that's how British food got most of it's bad reputation.). It is very saddening to see th at it's reputation has been dragged through mud and that it is rare nowadays to fin d somebody who actually makes that treat from scratch. Real puddings are so unique as well as delightful and have nothing to do with the bland, stuffy and extremely unhealthy versions that you can find in stores. Nothing compares to a luscious homemade pudding. Not only is it made with love, but also with a great deal of respect for the culinary traditions of Britain!

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Since I have officially become one of the biggest procrastinator (well, I'm also a chicken and "stress bag" LOL) on the planet, it is now in my habit to wait until the very last minute to gather up enough strength, courage and energy in order to get my sorry ass off my chair and into the kitchen! That is why you'll never fi nd my Daring Bakers' post up one minute after midnight anymore, but rather more than 20h hours after the official release date...

Anyway, when I had decided that it was about time for me to get started and once I could not have a lame excuse not to raise hell in the kitchen a ny longer, things got rolling and moving fast. My "Suet Pudding" dough was made in a zip and placed in it's personal "sweat lodge" for a few hours!Did you know that I had been meaning to make pudding since a very long time, but for no real reason the steaming process always daunted me a little? Not that I never steamed any food in my life, though. It was just one of th ose scares that had no reason for being. I mean, I have an electric steamer and a Chinese steamer which I very much use, but have not been able to make pudding until now. Go find out why... Yes, even the most daring of us bakers can have doubts and fear!

As we were free to choose the recipe that we w ere going to make, I decided to make the "My Fair Lady Pudding" which is a sponge type suet pudding containing lemon rind. I added some rhubarb (mixed with light brown sugar and a dash cinnamon) at the bottom and served it with "Custard Sauce".

This "Suet Pudding" is easy as Sunday morning and require no other skills than being incredibly patient (it has to get steamed for about 3 hours) and, although it might look not too attractive (and photogenic), boy, this dessert is to die for. The texture of that pudding is so smooth, fluffy and moist. Taste-wise it is really pleasant as it has a refreshing lemony aroma, an interesting nutty flavor (thanks to the suet used) and is not overly sweet. I really recommend you to serve it with custard sauce as it adds a dimension more to the pudding (it goes from delicious to lipsmackingly scrumptious). Heaven in a bowl!

I wish to thanks Esther for having chosen that great British treat and for making me realize there's no reason to fear pudding. I will certainly make this goodie on a regular basis now!

~ Suet Pudding ~

Equipment required:
• 2 pint (1 litre) pudding bowl or steam-able containers to contain a similar amount they should be higher rather than wide and lowTraditional pudding bowl
• Steamer or large pan, ideally with a steaming stand, upturned plate or crumpled up piece of kitchen foil
• Mixing bowl
• Spoon
• Measuring cups or scales

• Foil or grease proof paper to cover the bowl
• String

Ingredients:

100g (4 Oz) All-purpose flour
1/4 Tsp Sea salt

1.5 Tsp Baking powder
100g (4Oz) Breadcrumbs

75g (3 Oz) Caster sugar
75g (3 Oz) Shredded suet or suet substitute (i.e., Vegetable Suet, Crisco, Lard)
1 Large egg
6 to 8 Tbs Cold milk

Method:
1. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into bowl.
2. Add breadcrumbs, sugar and suet.
3. Mix to a soft batter with beaten egg and milk.
4. Turn into a buttered 1 litre (2 pints) pudding basin and cover securely with buttered greaseproof paper or aluminum foil.

5. Steam steadily for 2.5 to 3 hours.
6. Turn out onto warm plate.

Variants:
Spotted Dick
Add 75g/ 3oz currants and 25g/1 oz of mixed chopped peel with the sugar.
Syrup or Treacle or Marmelade Pudding

Put 2 Tablespoons of golden syrup, treacle or marmalade at the bottom of the bowl before adding pudding mix.
My Fair Lady Pudding
Add finely grated rind of 1 medium orange or lemon with the sugar.
Ginger Pudding
Replace the sugar with 100g/4oz of treacle, and add 1/2 tsp ground ginger.


Serving suggestions:
Serve with sweet sauce to taste such as custard, caramel or a sweetened fruit sauce.


Remarks:
The easiest way to steam a pudding is in a dedicated steamer as the water is kept away from the pudding so it can’t boil over. If, however, you don’t have a
steamer use a pan large enough to easily fit the bowl you are cooking.
Don’t fill the water more than about a third of the way up the bowl or it may boil over and into the bowl. Keep an eye and top up as needed with boiling water.
You need to lift the bowl off the bottom of the pan. This can be done with a steamer stand, an upturned plate or even crumpled up kitchen foil — anything that can stand being in boiling water and lifts the bowl off the bottom of the pan will work.
Make sure you have a well-fitted lid on the pan as you want the steam to cook the pudding not to boil off.

Make sure you put a pleat in the foil or paper you cover the bowl with to allow for expansion and then tie down tightly with string. This is a bowl ready for the steamer, note the handle made from the string that also ties it together around the top (this makes it very much easier to lift out when hot and is well worth doing).

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Etant donné la longueur du texte original, je n'ai malheureusement pas pu faire une traduction française de ce billet et je m'en excuse auprès de tous mes amis lecteurs et blogueurs francophones!

C'est pourquoi je vous suggère de vous rendre sur le blog mentionné ci-dessous. Vous y trouverez cette recette en version française.

Chez Isa de "Les Gourmandises d'Isa" (Canada)
Chez Vibi de "La Casserole Carrée" (Canada)

101 comments:

  1. The texture looks lovely, and the lemon flavor sounds delicious! Must have been fantastic with rhubarb too.

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  2. You never fail to impress. Your pudding looks divine!

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  3. Love your photos. Your pudding came out great. Mmm rhubarb and lemon....

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  4. Gorgeous photos Rosa! Your pudding look absolutely delicious. Well done as always!

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  5. This is such a great recipe and so much good background on suet and puddings in general. The photo, as usual, is beautiful. Slice it up!

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  6. ahh wonderful! you used rhubarb too. looks divine!

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  7. oh lala ton pudding a l'air DE-LI-CI-EUX!

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  8. That looks fantastic! I am still waiting for the rhubarb to be ready here...

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  9. Hi Rosa
    It looks fantastic, elegant and so delicious.
    Awesome photos.
    An excellent post, congratulations x

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  10. Superbe ton pudding!!!
    J'y goûterais volontiers!!

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  11. Wow beautiful photos. Looks really delicious. Well done! Unfortunately no DB challenge for me this month but hope to be back next month.

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  12. A perfect pudding! Beautiful work, Rosa.

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  13. Beautiful, luminescent pictures. The pudding with custard and rhubarb sounds fabulous.

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  14. j'adore ta version "fruitée " Rosa ! et les photos sont vraiment très belles :)
    c'est bien dommage cette mauvaise réputation, pour un dessert qui est vraiment très bon, et qui vaut franchement la peine d'être essayé au moins une fois dans sa vie :)

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  15. Cool I have never seen this steaming method before! It must be super moist.

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  16. Rosa, your hard work always pays off! I am so impressed with your patience and baking skills.
    Agreed: "Real puddings are so unique as well as delightful" Nothing like the real stuff girl! xo

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  17. I love that pudding and the photos! It looks so delicate and moist!

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  18. Great to understand the different means of the word "pudding", more for my span-glish…trying to convert it all in english.

    Rosa your pudding is creating havoc with my cravings :)

    All the best,

    Gera

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  19. rosa, do you ever get the DB challenge wrong? this looks lovely and I adore rhubarb.

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  20. I can't say that I ever crave suet, of all things. But wow, that steamed cake looks divine. So fluffy and light.

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  21. It looks so delicious!

    Great job Rosa!

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  22. delicious-looking. I like the color. ;-)

    Paz

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  23. They looks soooooooooooo yummy and loved the name as well.

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  24. Gorgeous and love the flavours. Beautifully plated Rosa!

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  25. Gorgeous and love the flavours. Beautifully plated Rosa!

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  26. this is a beautiful pudding. i had no idea about the origins about the word till i read this!

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  27. Never seen such a beautiful pudding anywhere...looks awesome rosa, perfect one...

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  28. Great post. I've never tried rhubarb before except in a jar but the pudding sounds perfect with custard and rhubarb.

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  29. Beautiful pudding with great texture, and the dripping custard makes it simply irresistable :-)

    Sawadee from Bangkok,
    Kris

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  30. ein richtiger Pudding, wie man ihn in alten Kochbüchern noch findet ! Sieht gut aus.

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  31. Rhubarb and lemon sounds wonderful. Beautiful texture! Must taste fantastic!

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  32. I'm so glad you made the pudding... and enjoyed it so much!
    So little DBers made it and its a shame, for I think British cuisine is totaly underrated!
    I loved the challenge as well as using suet for the first time, after hearing so much about it from historical recipe books!

    I'm happy your pudding was a success... it looks amazing!

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  33. What a lovely colour you got in the pudding and wonderful that it was so delicious. Great work on this challenge. Cheers from Audax in Sydney Australia.

    Yes I think you are right English food is great the store brought stuff is horrible.

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  34. Oh Beautuìiful your fair lady pudding!!! I love the rhubarb taste, I'm sure that this is a delicious dessert! :-*

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  35. Wow Rosa this is beautiful! I adore the flavors and the pudding looks so spongy and delicious.

    Great write up on the origins of pudding I really enjoyed reading it. :)

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  36. Not the most awe inspiring pudding picture today you are right! But yours looked like one of the simplest but most tasty recipes. Thats my favorite kinda cookin. Nice job.

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  37. what a beautiful pudding..love the pics and it looks super tasty

    sweetlife

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  38. Superbes photos qui montre un pudding bien appétissant !
    Je te souhaite un bon mercredi,
    Bisous, Doria

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  39. Superbes photos qui montre un pudding bien appétissant !
    Je te souhaite un bon mercredi,
    Bisous, Doria

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  40. What an unusual ingredient but here, fab results...is it coffe time yet in CH?

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  41. What a great pudding you have just created!

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  42. Des photos toujours aussi magnifiques!!!
    Et ton pudding,muuuuuum.
    Bisous.
    Caro

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  43. Well, simple but elegant pudding. I have never ate rhubarb, it's not common in Croatia, but it looks very tasty to me. Greeting from Zagreb.

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  44. Your pudding looks really nice, and your post is so beautiful, as always!

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  45. Celebrating Spring with rhubarb and pudding is a great way to go Rosa. Great job.

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  46. Great work Rosa, looks very delicious! I used rhubarb too :). That custard sauce really finishes it off!

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  47. Superbe et en plus avec la rhubarbe de printemps c'est top et j'imagine le moelleux rien qu'à regarder !! bravo

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  48. You were better than I was - I haven't even made mine yet. Yours is an inspiration. It does look so light and delicate and delicious. Beautiful as ever, Rosa.

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  49. Sounds and looks wonderful! Great job on this challenge!

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  50. I have not come across suet this British Ingredient. Your pudding looks very moist.

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  51. I adore pudding and that looks superb. You've done an outstanding job (as usual)!

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  52. This looks terrific, must be excellent with rhubarb!

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  53. Oh my, that pudding looks so moist and I love the custard sauce on top :)

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  54. Rosa, your pudding is fantastic! It looks super tasty!

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  55. Absolutely gorgeous post. The writing is divine and inspiring. You do NOT seem like one who procrastinates, but a creative genius!

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  56. That looks beautiful! I love the custard dripping down the sides of the pudding. And the color looks absolutely perfect for a lemon flavored pudding. Nice job on your challenge!

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  57. Interesting! There's a lot about pudding that I never knew!

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  58. those are great ingredients to work with, awesome! ;)

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  59. Good looking puddings! Very nicely done.

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  60. Rosa,
    Wow, your blog is so fun to come visit, with the music! Nicely done on this challenge and beautiful photos!

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  61. Rosa,

    Your pudding looks really beautiful, liked the custard sauce too.

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  62. Beautiful Rosa, and perfect texture.
    Funny how I also steam cook a lot but never made a steamed pudding till now!:)

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  63. I ended up giving DB a miss this month but I wish I'd done it now I've seen yours.

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  64. Ha, divine. What entertaining pudding!

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  65. The pudding looks delicious!! Lovely pictures :)

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  66. you knocked this challenge out of the park, rosa! your cake is most definitely fit for royalty, but i'd like to think i'm worthy of a slice myself. :)

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  67. Sometimes, I'm too, pretty confused about this pudding! Good that you make it clear! Thanks so much for sharing. Yours looks really scrumptious!
    Cheers, Kristy

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  68. I love your take on the DB challenge! And yes, I thank whoever invented puddings; they are a gift from God. All puddings. And yours especially..definitely a Fair Lady. Love that you used rhubarb, my favorite ingredient in the spring!

    Your spring flower photos are simply beautiful, Rosa!

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  69. Gorgeous!Lemon and rhubarb sounds like wonderful flavors for the pudding :D

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  70. Rosa this is an excellent post really informative. Its really nice that you set the record straight on British Puddings and provided for a nice history lesson! and your recipe looks scrumptious! and the pictures really inspire me to do the recipe.

    And thank you for stopping by for my Paella by fire!

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  71. My favorite photo shows a tiny crumb hanging onto the pudding which looks incredibly moist and delicious.

    I'll be doing quite a bit of picnic baking in the weeks to come and this is a recipe that I am determined to try.

    Blessings and thanks,
    Lacy

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  72. Mmmm your pudding looks delicious, its making me hungry hehe :) yummm!

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  73. What a stunning pudding Rosa! As always, you challenge results are an inspiration to us all. i'd never heard of this pudding before so thanks for making me discover it. Yours looks for moist and delicate and it must taste heavenly. I'd never made a steamed pudding before and found it a fun experience.

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  74. Rosa you did an amazing job here. I just want to reach in and grab a bite. So fresh and Spring like.

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  75. Every picture was just mouth-watering and your pudding looks so delicious!! :)

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  76. Your pudding is perfect! I love the lemon flavor and the addition of rhubarb must have given it a whole new dimension. Gorgeous!

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  77. très appétissant!!! je rêve de t'en piquer une tranche! Bises. Marina

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  78. ye pudding sound delicious rosa!! love the pics as always!1
    cheers!!

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  79. absolutely delicious and beauty! gloria

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  80. Rosa, I'll never know how something that includes the word, "suet" in the title, results in a deliciously-light, piece of heaven!

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  81. la rhubarbe est arrivé sur mon marché j'adooore
    merci ROsa Pierr bizz

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  82. Rosa your pudding is amazing ! I'd love to have some ! Beautiful photos as always !!!

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  83. Just found your blog via daring bakers on Twitter. Your puddings look amazing! This was my first DB challenge & I really enjoyed it. Great to see so many different variations of pudding.

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  84. Rosa...H r u?..been long time i visted ur space..pudding luks so gud and perfect..

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  85. Your suet pudding sounds amazing - the rhubarb and lemon is such a refreshing combination.

    What a fantastic looking dessert, and I really appreciated the backstory of the pudding.

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  86. Il est vraiment superbe! Et à la rhubarbe, mmmm, tu me fais saliver!
    Bisous et bon dimanche!

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  87. Totalement sous le charme Rosa. Merci pour la partie historique.
    Bon dimanche

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  88. mmm, this looks fantastic! love the rhubarb pudding :)

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  89. Gorgeous pudding! It's getting a little bit warm for suet puddings here, but I am still tempted! Marmalade rolypoly is my favourite.

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  90. Ooh I am envious of this pudding! The flavours sound just perfect and it looks beautiful...delicious.

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  91. Your pudding looks just beautiful and luscious, Rosa. I was too chicken to even try this challenge. It just didn't appeal to me, but you approached it so creatively! Lovely job.

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  92. My "fair lady" pudding, name and dessert matched in heaven :)

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  93. rhubarb and lemon sounds fantastic!! It looks so moist and beautiful pictures too.

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  94. That pudding sounds so good!

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  95. Love the name of this pudding. It looks so light and fluffy, but still heart warming, especially with that cap of sauce.

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  96. Amazing looking pudding! The citrus and rhubarb combo would be really nice!

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