one of the things i love about having these two little blogs o’ mine is that i get to share my secrets. i mean not all of my secrets of course.
but definitely the tasty ones.
this one is my little pilgrim trick. so easy and basic but not something we do much of in the US. big in england – at least at one time. and honestly i am not sure if it’s a common cooking practice there anymore. but i love it. try it just once and you’ll realize how simple it is.
plus, it’s the perfect way to showcase your delicious homemade jams, and you know what i mean by that don’t you?
praise! praise! i’m talking about praise…
and smiling bellies!
now tell me you don’t want that.
jam pudding
6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter (plus more to butter basin and parchment)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
rounded 1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 & 1/4 cups jam
you will also need:
1 quart pudding basin
parchment paper
kitchen twine
steaming pot
tea towel
serves 4 (or 2 big servings, plus another piece for breakfast)
first let’s talk about the basin. actually you can use any quart size basin that can withstand 2 hours in a bit of boiling water and swirling hot steam. but a traditional pudding basin is reasonably priced, made just for this purpose, has a lip to affix the twine, and can be used day-to-day as a mixing bowl.
before you do anything, take the pot you will use to steam it in. this is my steamer. i basically use the pasta insert and it makes steaming as easy as pie – or pudding! (i feel like a commercial here, but i might as well let you know that it’s a pretty awesome small-batch canner too!)
whatever pot you’re using, you want to make sure the basin is not placed directly on the bottom of the pot, so you will need some kind of steaming rack.
1. place the basin on the steaming rack inside the pot and fill the pot with water halfway up the side of the basin. do this before you do anything else so that your water level is prepared. then remove the basin from the pot.
2. cut a round out of parchment paper that is slightly smaller that the diameter of the top of your basin. butter well the entire basin and one side of the parchment round.
3. stir the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl and set aside. in a larger bowl, cream the butter and sugar using an electric mixer. mix the egg in. slowly add the dry ingredients until just mixed.
4. place the jam in the bottom of the buttered basin. spoon the batter over top. it will be a bit thick. smooth the top of the batter to even it out. place the parchment butter-side down on top.
5. begin to heat the water – medium high will do. wet your tea towel thoroughly and squeeze out any excess water. there are two ways to fasten the tea towel. you can fold it in half, tie it tightly around the rim, twist the long sides and tie together on top. like this:
or you can leave the tea towel unfolded, place it over the top, fasten with twine. and then tie the opposite ends together. done this way you’ll have four points tied together rather than two and it will be more stable to lift.
but i like to live dangerously.
6. carefully place the pudding basin in the steaming pot. use these or something like them.
7. steam for 2 hours at medium heat. check every 45 minutes or so to make sure the water level has not dropped too low. add hot water when needed.
8. after 2 hours take off heat. remove pudding basin from pot, and tea towel from basin. set on wire rack to cool for 10 or so minutes. run a sharp knife around basin rim to release pudding and turn out on a plate.
jam pudding is best served warm.
but you know, cold for breakfast has it’s merits too.
this, my go-to steamed jam pudding recipe is the perfect base for just about any type of homemade jam – i used plum noir here but the possibilities are endless.
you can up the recipe accordingly depending on the size of your basin. generally count one hour of steaming time per 1/2 quart.
roast the toast: a now and then series devoted to pumping up the jams,
and other sweet preserves. ’cause a tigress can’t live on bread alone. duh!
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My parents are visiting from England at the moment so now I'm itching to try this recipe using some of the jam they helped pick strawberries for last summer. My mum used to make syrup pudding when I was a child but I don't think she ever made one with jam. We will most likely eat it with custard.
commonplace iris – how great! do it and let me know how they like it! and custard sounds perfect!
I have an old metal steamed pudding mould I use for a chocolate pudding every Christmas. It's shaped vaguely like a budnt pan except taller and smaller in diameter, with a top that clips in place. I'm thinking this might work, if well buttered. What do you think?
What a clever idea! I have heaps of apricot jam just looking for a home, and I love the idea of pairing it with a bit of custard. Thanks!
ellen zachos – yes I think that should most definitely work! just make sure it's approximately a quart or adjust recipe accordingly.
leena! you are welcome!
My mom being from England we had steam pudding often. Now I can honor her with one of yours. Thanks for sharing.
Yum! You know, this would probably be fabulous in a pressure cooker. I made a persimmon pudding (also a steamed pudding) in the pressure cooker just before Christmas. It was heavenly, and much, much faster.
I cannot wait to try this, I too have jars and jars waiting for use. I think the ginger peach from last summer will be the first to go. Ellen Z. asked my question… I have a follow up: the lid on my metal one is quite tight. Do I still have to wrap it with a towel?
doris the goat – hey you! i certainly remember your persimmon pudding – i was very excited by it. i love steamed things. i don't own a pressure cooker but that is a great idea. for those who do, could you recommend a time for a quart size pudding?
erica – for sure if your metal pudding basin has a lid, you do not need to use the towel method. you probably don't even need to do the parchment, but maybe just to avoid any sticky situations i would.
I have some apricot/squash jam that needs a recipe like this! I like the idea of using the pressure cooker however I don't have a clue as how long to cook and at what pressure, any help would be appreciated.
shirlene – you can pop on over to doris the goat's link above for her pudding. it looks to be double the size of my jam pudding recipe here, if that helps. she gives pressure and time for hers. sorry i don't own one, so that's all i can do! and your jam sounds like a lovely topping!
Oh yes we still have those quite a lot over here, indeed it is himself's favourite though he is as happy with golden syrup as jam.
Have you ever come across the pudding club? they celebrate the great british pudding in all it's varieties.
http://www.puddingclub.com/
Just a little secret.. while I love steaming puddings if you are desperate for a sponge pudding fix they microwave pretty well too !
Have you ever tried suet pastry steamed puddings?
Esther (in the UK)
Wow! What a great recipe! I just stopped by to hunt the can jam for some marmalade recipes and got this too- awesome.
And shirlene- I love to use up apricot or pluot jam as a glaze for roast pork loin. Yum.
I make so much jam, but am always looking for creative ways to eat it other than on toast. This looks delicious; thanks for sharing!