Just desserts

By Jan Cheshire

At this time of the year, Bert and I really enjoy eating steamed or baked puddings – part of our English heritage, I suppose.  When we were kids we always had a dessert after dinner, be it a tin of fruit and some evaporated milk, a stodgy rice pudding or a hot steaming pudding.  These little puddings are a bit more sophisticated than the old “spotted dick” of my childhood, but they are very delicious and heart-warming – just what you need for a chilly winter’s evening.

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BERRY PUDDINGS (Serves 4)
Ingredients
125 grams of butter
125 grams of caster sugar
2 eggs
125 grams of plain flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
80ml milk
300 grams of frozen mixed berries or you could use stewed rhubarb
150ml port (optional)
50 grams of caster sugar

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C.
2. Butter four pudding bowls or 1 x  1litre larger bowl.
3. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Beat in eggs one at a time.
5. Sift flour and baking powder and fold into mix alternately with the milk.
6. Use 200grams of the berries to layer the base of each dish (or 1 big dish).
7. Top with the pudding  to ¾ full.
8. Seal with foil  and tie with string.
9. Stand in a baking tray with boiling water halfway up sides.
10. Bake for 35-40 minutes until firm on top.  (You may need a few extra minutes for the larger bowl).
11. Heat the remaining 100 grams of berries with port and  sugar til soft and spoon the sauce over
12. Serve this dessert with rich, thick cream or warm custard.

These are a real treat – spoil yourself!