Fancy Some “Spotted Dick?”
I found this image online and it sent me right into the depths of google to research “spotted dick”, a British dessert that looks delicious!
Spotted Dick is a quintessential English steamed pudding served with a creamy vanilla custard sauce – and the recipe was sitting right there in my “Downton Abbey” Cookbook – so it was time for another episode of “Dinner And A Movie!”
I love this book, full of great recipes inspired by the show…including one of England’s all-time best names for a dessert:
“Spotted Dick!”
The most famous recipe from “Downton Abbey” Season 5 is Spotted Dick, which is a classic english custard dessert. “Spotted” refers to the currants or raisins in the pudding. “Dick” refers to pudding, or a reference to the German word dick, meaning thick or viscous.
Thanks to Chef Naresh Vyas for this recipe!
Serves 6 – 8
2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
4 tsp. (20 ml) baking powder
Pinch salt
¼ tsp. (1 ml) each clove powder, allspice and mace powder
4½ oz. (125g) shredded suet* (make sure it is cold)
1½ cups (180 g currants) (include a little chopped candied orange or lemon peel if you prefer)
1⁄3 cup (80 g) caster sugar
Fine zest of 1 lemon
Fine zest of 1 small orange
2 ⁄3 cup (150 ml) whole milk, plus 2–3 tbsp. (30–45 ml)
Custard or non fat greek yoghurt to serve
Put the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add the suet, currants, sugar, lemon and orange zest and spices. Mix well.
Add the milk (except the 2–3 tbsp.) and mix to a firm but moist dough, adding the extra milk if necessary.
Shape into a fat roll about 8 inches (20 cm) long. Place on a large rectangle of baking parchment. Wrap loosely to allow for the pudding to rise and tie the ends with string like a Christmas cracker. Alternatively, you can wrap the log in muslin as it will let in the steam. Tie it loosely so it can expand as it cooks.
Stove method: Place a steamer over a large pan of boiling water, add the pudding to the steamer, cover and steam for 1½ hours. Top up the pan with water from time to time.
There is also an oven method:
Use a large fish poacher or similar large pan with a lid, placing the pudding on a rack in the pan with enough space for water underneath. Pour in boiling water just short of the rack, cover with the lid and put in oven for about 1 hour. Check until pudding is done, making sure the pan is never dry.
Remove from the steamer and allow to cool slightly before unwrapping and slicing.
Serve with Light Custard Sauce, Sweet Sauce or non fat greek yoghurt.
You can also flambé the pudding with brandy like you would with a plum pudding.
And if you are too lazy to bake it, just buy it out of a can like I did once!
Of course, I can cook the food of “Downton Abbey” forever, and have already started doing so:
This is a “Seafood Newburg” dish from the unofficial show cookbook – click here for more!
I have more “dinner and a movie” segments coming soon – I shared this simple yet delicious dish from the movie “Moonstruck”:
Here’s the recipe for “eggs in a hole” and a deep dive into the terrific romantic comedy “Moonstruck!”
I ended my yearlong “52 In 22” cooking challenge by making my favorite “dinner in a movie: Stanley Tucci’s legendary Timpano!
I saw it for the first time in the great 90’s movie “Big Night”, also starring Tony Shaloub:
It was a massive undertaking – here’s a clip from the partial unveiling – I made it on New Year’s Eve:
But how did it look when cut open?
Click here for the whole recipe and the amazing reveal!
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I love “dinner and a movie”, and I hope you attempt some of these as well…if you like this story please share on social media!
Enjoy!
Categories: 52 In 22!, Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Books / Media, Cookbooks, Eat This!, Food, Food Pictures, Food Porn, Movies, Recipes, Wacky Food, World's Wildest Food
Bite! Eat! Repeat! 
i’ve always wondered about this and it sounds like something i’d really enjoy
John, may friend I did the dinner and a movie and made the Timpano. We held our breath for the reveal. It was delicious. One of the reasons we wanted to make Timpano is the story Tucci tells about Christmas, his parents, and his 2 wives and Timpano. The two wives called it “the fuc… timpano”. An absolute riot that they both said the same thing. Too funny.
I love that! Thanks for sharing! The movie “Big Night” celebrates the role of food in a family and Tucci celebrates that in everything he does!
A very famous recipe, John. This recipe is traditional. Jamie Oliver also has a recipe but it much more decadent.
Traditional British desserts are great!
Spotted Dick. (Not the same from a tin.)
Bread and Butter Pudding.
Suet Pudding with Golden Syrup.
Baked Jam Roll with custard.
Ah, fond memories. (Julie still makes bread and butter pudding a few times a year.)
Best wishes, Pete.
Hubbies favourite pudding is spotted dick with custard it seems all the old puddings are enjoying a revival…The egg in a hole is what we call a “one-eyed sandwich”… 🙂 seeing all this yummy food has me hungry 🙂
Thanks for the note Carol!