Sponge pudding seems to be one of those well known English cuisine that the English like very much. Like all the other English great nosh served as restaurants and pub staples in the British Isles, it's generally heavy on the carb, but then as the British Isles are so cold, it makes perfect sense. Complementing English mains of Fish & Chips, Shepherds' Pie, steaks, English desserts like Spotted Dick, Manchester Tart, Treacle Tart, Steamed Pudding, and the amazing Christmas Pudding make the perfect English dinner. Someone even wrote that the star of English meals would be Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding, the complete indulgence with all the flavours and textures of good British soil. Now, that is a good reason for me to visit Ye Olde Smokehouse (Opposite KLCC, on the street behind Gucci) again soon.This recipe that I tried and tested is absolutely easy to prepare. It can't get any easier to whip a gourmet dessert like this!
The dessert is mildly sweet and buttery. To make it, you'll need :
Ingredients
Method
1. Beat the eggs with sugar before adding the melted butter, salt and lemon juice. Then add in the milk.
3. Grease some small bowls, muffin tins or coffee cups.
4. Put in a spoonful of frozen blueberries. They must be frozen as this will keep intact the form of the berries, preventing them from breaking up into the sponge mix while being steamed.
5. Then pour in three-quarters of the sponge mix into the cup, tin or bowl of frozen berries. Now you ready to steam them in your steamer for 20 to 25 minutes. The mix will make 10 to 12 cups.
Tip : This mildly sweet and buttery cake's moistness is attributed to the steaming. Baking this pudding will make it dry.
* I did not include blueberries as it is not available at all in this small little town where I reside.
This pudding is best accompanied by a Vanilla Sauce. You'll need:
Ingredient
. 180ml cream
. 180ml milk
. 75g sugar
. 4 egg yolks
. a few drops of vanilla essence
Method
1. Heat the milk to just before a boil. On low fire, add in cream and keep stirring. Add in sugar, egg yolks, vanilla essence and continue stirring until you have a smooth texture.
More Tips :
The steamed sponge will keep in the fridge for a few days. All you need to do is microwave it on medium heat for 10 seconds before serving. You can replace the blueberries with other frozen berries. Or mix them up.
Instead of little cups, you can also use a big bowl, depending on whether your steaming apparatus can contain it.
Hope you will have as much fun trying it out as I did . Wish you success!
* The recipe is copied from The New Straits Time, 26th July 2008 shared by Chef Affendy Ahmad of Putrajaya Shangri-La Hotel.
