When in the United Kingdom, eat like the Brits, cook like the Brits, and live like the Brits. In fact, if you are already living in the United Kingdom or will move there sooner or later, then you might as well learn to whip up a few classic British dishes like the Spotted Dick. Yes, the name’s funny, but the dish? Too yummy!
In this article, I am gonna tell you how to make spotted dick at home. Yes, yes, the ingredients and the process. And some more information about this famous British comfort food. All you need to do is scroll down and find out all that you need to know about the same.
Keep reading for more information.
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About The Spotted Dick…Wait, What?
So have you ever wondered what is spotted dick? What is this dish with such an odd name? For starters, the infamous spotted dick is a tasty blend of currants, lemon juice, and dried fruits with suet dough. The dish is great because it’s easy to whip up at home and doesn’t taste too sweet for comfort.
In fact, spotted dick is best served with a side of custard and is also known as one of the most popular comfort food dishes out there. First things first, let’s get the stifled giggling out of the way – the name’s funny. So much so that there are several restaurants in the United Kingdom that have renamed the dish Steamed Sultana Pudding and, in some cases, Spotted Richard.
But that’s not how it’s supposed to be named!
The word ‘spotted’ refers to all the sultanas dotting the pudding. But that’s not the problem – the uncertainty begins with the next word (‘dick’).
History Of Spotted Dick
While several historians say that the word ‘dick’ (in this case) comes from ‘dough,’ others say that the word is a shortened version of ‘puddink’ or ‘puddick’ – moreover, in the 1840s, the word ‘dick’ referred to a hard cheese slab. However, the very first spotted dick recipe dates back to 1845, according to The Lost Foods Of England by Glyn Hughes.
In the book, a recipe by Alexis Soyer says A Shilling Cookery for The People. The recipe does mention ingredients like flour, sugar, currants, eggs, suet, cinnamon, and milk – all of which were boiled together inside a cloth. However, the same author has provided another recipe involving rolled dough getting spread by some paste five years later.
So now you know why it’s called the ‘spotted dick’ and how long ago the dish can be traced back to – I mean, 1845 is a long, long time ago. So without wasting any further time, let’s find out how you can whip this us at home and impress your British friends without a worry!
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Making A Bowl Of Spotted Dick: Learning How To Make It At Home
Let’s find out how you can make a bowl of Spotted Dick at home without any hassles. But first, let’s check out what ingredients you will need for the same. Simply scroll down and find out all the ingredients you need for making Spotted Dick at home, and then move on to the main recipe!
The Ingredients You Will Need: What’s Inside?
Check out the table below and find out which ingredients you will need to prepare this traditional British comfort food. And I have even mentioned the time it will take for you to prepare this dish with finesse.
| Timing | Ingredients |
| Prep Time: 15 minutes | Self-raising flour (250 g) |
| Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Salt (a pinch) |
| Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes | Shredded suet (125 g) |
| Currant (180 g) | |
| Caster sugar (80 g) | |
| Finely grated lemon (1) and orange zest (1) | |
| Milk (150 ml) | |
| Custard (for serving) |
It’s All About The Process: How To Make Spotted Dick At Home?
This traditional spotted pudding can be found at every great British food company or outlet. A quintessential steamed British pudding, check out the recipe below to find out how to make a Spotted Dick at home in a few simple steps.
- Firstly, add the flour, followed by the salt, into a bowl. Then simply add the other ingredients like currants, sugar, suet, orange zest, and lemon.
- Secondly, pour about 150ml of milk into the bowl and now mix it all together. Now make a moist but firm dough while adding some extra milk, if needed.
- Thirdly, start shaping the dough into a roll – make it fat and long (about 20cm). Once you are shaping the same, place the roll on baking parchment. The baking parchment should be large and in the shape of a rectangle. Wrap the parchment around the roll loosely and tie both ends like a cracker with strings. Make sure you leave enough space for the dessert to expand.
- Fourthly, place your steamer over a big pan filled with boiling water. Now simply add the prepared pudding dough to your steamer – cover the same and steam it for about 1½ hours. Don’t forget to top up your pan with additional water if needed.
- Lastly, once you are steaming the dough just about enough, remove it from your steamer. Let it cool down a little before you can start unwrapping. Once unwrapped, you can serve the dish with some sliced custard on the side.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
The actual game is play by the currants in the entire recipe. The tiny, dried currants add a chewy texture to the dish while giving it the whole spotted effect. A popular and traditional British comfort food, you can enjoy the dish with some sliced custard on the side.
The Victorian era is famous for several things, including various innovations. One such innovation was the Spotted Dick, a still surviving offshoot of the whole pudding invention of the time. Yes, there was a golden age for pudding inventions too, and spotted dick was one of them.
The American concept of the pudding is very similar to what we commonly know as custard. In Britain, however, a pudding can be either a sweet dish or a savory dish that’s usually one prepares via steaming or boiling within some cloth, dishes, or even animal intestines in some cases.
Yes, you can make spotted dick on a slow cooker. Although traditionally, you prepare it with the help of large pots and pudding basins yet, if you use a slow cooker, you will actually save money on electricity!
Bon Appétit: Time To Enjoy My Homemade Spotted Dick
Now that you know how to prepare Spotted Dick at home, you can always invite your British friends over and surprise them with this classic traditional dessert. And by any chance, if you are not good at cooking (just like me), you can always count on something trustworthy like the Heinz spotted dick – just kidding!
Try making this one at home, and you never know, you might be a better chef than you assumed! Don’t forget to share with us your experience of preparing the same at home in the comments below.
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