I read about the Platinum Pudding competition to celebrate the Queen’s platinum jubilee and thought that despite my ham-fisted baking skills, I should give it a go. My Mum said her gift to the Queen was not subjecting the monarch to her baking 🙂 Being a northerner I am an expert at dipping biscuits in tea and retrieving them at the perfect moment then whipping them into my mouth. I decided to celebrate this very British combination in a pud for the Queen.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 8 Portions
100g rich tea biscuits (about 12 biscuits)
135g vegetable suet
100g caster sugar
150g self raising flour
2 large free range eggs
250ml milk (reduced to 200ml after infusing)
2 tbsp loose tea
3 tbsp malt powder (Ovaltine)
135g strawberry jam
To Finish the Pud
300ml double cream
2 tbsp loose tea
1 tbsp malt powder
30g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
lemon zest, pinch of loose tea and strawberries to decorate
- Tip the milk into a small saucepan and add 2 tbsp tea and 2 tbsp of malt powder (keep 1 tbsp back for later). Put the mixture on a low heat and infuse for 10 minutes. Strain through a tea strainer into a jug so that you have 200ml of infused milk.
- Blitz the biscuits in a food processor until the biscuit pieces are the size of breadcrumbs. Tip the biscuits into a large mixing bowl and add the suet, sugar and extra tablespoon of malt powder.
- Whisk the eggs together then stir into the mixture then gradually add the infused milk until you have a loose mixture. Add the flour to the mixture and stir to mix.
- Butter your pudding basin then spoon half the jam into the bottom of the bowl. Pour the mixture into the bowl then spoon the rest of the jam onto the centre of the mixture.
- Place a piece of greaseproof paper on top of the basin big enough to reach halfway down the outside of the basin then place an equal sized piece of foil on top of that. Tie string very securely around the basin, making a string handle if possible.
- Place a small rack, bowl or upside down colander into a large pan with a lid. Fill with water until it’s just below the top of your rest and bring to a gentle boil. Once the water is boiling place the pudding basin on the rest, put the lid on the pan and steam (simmering water) for 2 hours. Top the water up as necessary.
INGREDIENTS
To Finish the Pud
300ml double cream
2 tbsp loose tea
1 tbsp malt powder
30g icing sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
lemon zest, pinch of loose tea and strawberries to decorate
- Whilst the pud is steaming pour the cream into a saucepan and add the tea and malt powder then simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the cream into a jug and pop into the fridge to re-chill.
- Once the pudding has steamed, carefully remove it and let it stand for 5 minutes before removing the wrappings and turning out onto a serving plate. The pud can be served hot with custard at this point or it can be cooled and served as follows:
- Pour the flavoured cream into a cold bowl along with the icing sugar and vanilla essence then use an electric hand whisk to whip to stiff peaks. Pipe the cream onto the top of the pudding then top with trimmed strawberries.
- Grate over the lemon zest. Pop a teaspoon of loose tea into a mortar and grind to a fine powder with the pestle then sprinkle a little of the fine tea over. Serve with a pot of tea.
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