JAM ROLY-POLYA flaky suet sponge rolled up with a layer of jam – this is a classic nursery pudding that has remained a favourite over the past 200 years. Its slightly sinful combination of sweet and stodge is made all the more delicious with lashings of home-made custard.
Serves: six
Preparation: 30 minutes, plus 20 minutes chilling
Cooking time: 40-60 minutes
- 600g suet pastry (see recipe below)
- Plain flour, for dusting
- 250g jam, flavour of your choice
- 3-4 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs (optional)
- Butter, for greasing
- Full-fat milk, for sealing
- 1 egg, beaten, for glazing
- Caster sugar, for dusting
1. Make the suet pastry following the next recipe and leave to chill for at least 20 minutes before using. 2. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4, ensuring there are two shelves inside it, the top one for a baking sheet and the one below for a roasting pan.
3. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 30x20cm (the longer side should be a little shorter than the baking sheet) and about 1cm thick. Using a palette knife, spread the jam evenly over the dough, leaving a 2cm gap along one longer edge and both shorter edges. If the jam is runny, sprinkle with the breadcrumbs to soak it up. Lightly brush these three edges with milk then, starting with the one jam-covered edge, roll up the dough like a Swiss roll. Apply pressure on the seal and the ends of the dough so the jam stays inside.
4. Put a piece of aluminium foil about 40cm long onto the work surface, then heavily grease a slightly smaller piece of baking paper with butter and place it, butter side up, on top of the foil. Transfer the roll onto the paper. Brush the dough with the egg, generously sprinkle with sugar and wrap the roly-poly gently in the paper, making a pleat along the top. Secure the foil firmly at the ends.
5. Bring a litre of water to the boil in a kettle and reduce the oven temperature to 160C/325F/gas mark 6. Put a roasting pan onto the lower shelf of the oven and the roly-poly on the top shelf. Quickly and carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan and bake the roly-poly for 40-60 minutes.
6. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and leave the roly-poly to cool for ten minutes before unwrapping. Remove the foil and paper and divide the roly-poly into even portions and serve with hot custard (recipe below).
SUET PASTRY
This rich, flaky pastry can be used in many savoury British pies or puddings – and a handful of sweet ones too. It is the go-to pastry for classics ranging from steak and kidney pudding to jam roly-poly.
Makes about 400g
Preparation: 10 minutes plus 20 minutes chilling
- 200g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
- Pinch of salt
- 100g beef suet, shredded
Put the flour, salt and suet into a bowl and mix together. Slowly add about 150ml of water and mix using a knife until the dough comes together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until it is soft but not sticky to the touch. Cover with clingfilm and leave to chill in the fridge for 20 minutes before using.
CUSTARD
Many a British pudding is emphatically crowned with a liberal measure of custard. Traditionally made from a slowly heated egg-yolk-and-dairy mixture, and typically sweetened with sugar, custards range in consistency from thick near-spreadable versions (used for trifles), to thin pouring custards served by the jug and doused over hot steamed puddings. This recipe is for something closer to the latter.
Make sure you heat the custard slowly to avoid cooking the egg. If you are still nervous, mix a teaspoon of cornflour into the egg yolks before whisking them into the milk and cream mixture.
To create a thinner custard, use single or whipping cream instead of thick double cream.
Serves: two to four
Preparation: five minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
- 200g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
- 150ml double cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out
- 4 egg yolks, or 3 egg yolks and 1 tsp cornflour
- 40-50g caster sugar
1. Pour the milk, cream and vanilla pod and seeds (if using) into a medium saucepan and slowly heat over a medium heat until scalding, about 83C/181F.
2. Meanwhile, put the egg yolks, cornflour (if using), sugar and vanilla extract (if using) into a large heatproof bowl and beat together with a whisk until smooth, making sure there are no lumps of cornflour. The paler you beat the mixture, the smoother the custard it will make.
3. Gradually pour the hot milk and cream mixture over the eggs, whisking constantly. When thoroughly mixed pour the custard back into the warm saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until it thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon.
4. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a jug, ready to serve. Alternatively, sieve the custard into a container or bowl and cover the top with clingfilm to prevent a skin forming. It should last for three days in the fridge
The British Cook Book: Authentic Home Cooking Recipes from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, by Ben Mervis, is published by Phaidon, price £39.95
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