Traditional Spotted Dick (steamed suet pudding)
A cosy, old-school British steamed pudding studded with currants and lemon zest. Soft, bouncy texture with a lightly sweet crust — best served hot with a generous pour of custard.
Spotted dick: a name that makes modern ears giggle, but don’t let that put you off — it’s one of Britain’s toastiest puddings. Soft, moist and studded with juicy currants, this steamed suet pudding is comfort food at its most nostalgic.
Make it for a blustery Sunday supper, a cosy midweek treat, or when you want a pudding that travels well (it keeps and reheats beautifully). Serve with proper pouring custard and everyone will forgive the name and ask for seconds.
Ingredients
- 225 g self-raising flour
- 100 g vegetable suet (shredded) — for vegetarian option; use beef suet for traditional flavour
- 100 g caster sugar
- 150 g dried currants (or raisins)
- 15 ml finely grated lemon zest
- 5 ml salt
- 200 ml whole milk — plus extra to adjust consistency
- 15 g butter (for greasing)
- 5 ml vanilla extract (optional)
- greaseproof paper or a double layer of foil — to cover the pudding basin
- kitchen string — to tie on the cover if using foil
- 500 ml FOR THE CUSTARD (optional) - whole milk
- 4 FOR THE CUSTARD (optional) - egg yolks
- 50 g FOR THE CUSTARD (optional) - caster sugar
- 15 ml FOR THE CUSTARD (optional) - cornflour (optional, for extra thickness)
- 5 ml FOR THE CUSTARD (optional) - vanilla extract
Equipment
- 1.2–1.5 litre pudding basin
- large deep saucepan with lid (or a steamer)
- trivet or upturned saucer
- kitchen string
- whisk and wooden spoon
Instructions
Grease a 1.2–1.5 litre pudding basin well with the butter (this prevents sticking). Line the base with a small disc of greaseproof paper if you like extra insurance.
In a large mixing bowl, sift the self-raising flour and salt. Stir in the vegetable suet, caster sugar, dried currants and lemon zest until evenly distributed.
Make a well in the centre and pour in most of the milk and the vanilla (if using). Mix with a wooden spoon until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Add extra milk 1 tbsp at a time only if the mix feels dry — you want a pliable, not sloppy, batter.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared basin, pressing down gently and smoothing the top. Cover the basin tightly with a double layer of greaseproof paper or foil (cut a cross in the paper to let steam escape if you like), then cover with the basin lid or a layer of foil tied on with kitchen string.
Place a trivet or upturned saucer in the base of a large, deep saucepan. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the pudding basin. Put the covered basin on the trivet, cover the pan with its lid, and bring the water to a gentle simmer — not a rolling boil.
Steam gently for 75 minutes. Check the water level halfway through and top up with boiling water if it’s getting low (do this quickly and carefully to keep the lid on).
Remove the basin from the pan (use oven gloves!), unwrap and leave to rest for 5–10 minutes — this helps it settle. Turn out onto a warmed plate by running a knife around the edge first.
To make the custard: whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and cornflour (if using). Heat the milk with the vanilla until nearly boiling, then very slowly pour a little hot milk into the yolks to temper. Return the tempered mix to the pan and cook on low, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 6–8 minutes). Do not boil — remove from heat once it coats the back of a spoon.
Slice the pudding and serve immediately with plenty of hot custard (or cream/ice cream if preferred).
Tips
- Use vegetable suet for a vegetarian dish and for easier shopping; shredded suet gives the traditional bouncy texture while butter makes a denser pudding.
- Soak your currants briefly in warm water or tea (5–10 minutes) if they’re very dry — drain well so they don’t clump the batter.
- Keep the steaming gentle — a vigorous boil will make the pudding collapse or let water into the basin.
- Make ahead: steam the pudding, cool, then chill. Re-steam for 20–30 minutes to reheat. It also freezes well once cooked; defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- If turning out is stubborn, run a thin knife around the edge and re-steam for 10 minutes rather than pulling hard.
Substitutions
vegetable suet → rapeseed butter cut into small cubes (use 100g)
Noticeably differentdried currants → sultanas or chopped raisins (same weight)
Stays closeself-raising flour → plain/plain white flour + 2 tsp baking powder (use total 225g flour + 2 tsp baking powder)
Stays closewhole milk → oat or soy milk for a dairy-free version (use same quantity)
Noticeably different
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 510
- Calories
- 11 g
- Protein
- 72 g
- Carbs
- 23 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 28 g
- Sugar
- 220 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I bake this instead of steaming?
Yes — pour the mixture into a greased pudding tin and bake at 170°C fan (190°C conventional) for about 50–60 minutes. The texture will be drier and more cakey than steamed.
How do I know the pudding is cooked through?
A skewer pushed into the centre should come out clean or with just moist crumbs. The pudding should feel springy to the touch.
Can I make it ahead and freeze it?
Yes. Once cooked and cooled, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat by steaming for 20–30 minutes or in a low oven (covered).
My custard split — how do I fix it?
If the custard curdles from overheating, remove from the heat immediately and whisk in a small spoonful of cold milk to smooth it. If badly split, blend briefly with a hand blender off the heat to re-emulsify.
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