Fruit Sponge with Lemon Syrup

Steam a traditional fruity sponge pudding with suet, citrus zest and currants then serve in thick slices with hot custard.

Fruit Sponge

Ingredients

Sponge Pudding:

  • 175g Self-raising flour
  • Pinch of ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 50g Caster sugar
  • 75g Shredded suet or coarsely grated chilled butter
  • 75g Currants
  • Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
  • 1 Egg, lightly beaten
  • 5 Tablespoon semi-skimmed milk

Lemon Syrup:

  • 4 Tablespoon golden syrup
  • Finely grated zest of ½ lemon
  • 2 Tablespoon lemon juice

Method

  1. Sift the flour, cinnamon and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in the sugar and the suet or butter, followed by the currants and lemon zest.
  2. Make a well in the middle, add the egg and the milk and mix to a soft dropping consistency, adding a little more milk if needed.
  3. Line the base of a well-greased 1 litre pudding basin with a circle of greaseproof paper, then spoon in the mixture.
  4. Place a double thickness of greaseproof paper, pleated in the centre, over the pudding, then tie securely with string. (The pleat allows room for the pudding to rise.)
  5. Put the basin on a trivet or an upturned saucer in a saucepan and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the basin.
  6. Cover the pan and steam for 1 3/4 hours, topping up with boiling water as necessary. (Alternatively, the pudding can be baked, uncovered at 180°C/gas 4 for 1 hour or until well-risen.
  7. Cover with foil towards the end of cooking if the pudding is browning too much.)
  8. When the pudding is almost cooked, make the lemon syrup. Put the golden syrup, lemon zest and juice in a small saucepan and gently heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture just begins to bubble. Turn off the heat.
  9. Remove the basin from the pan and ease round the edge of the pudding with a round-bladed knife to loosen it.
  10. Turn out onto a warmed plate, then pour the hot lemon syrup over the top.
  11. Serve cut into wedges.

Tip: If using grated butter, chill it first in the freezer for about 20 minutes, then hold the end in a piece of foil while grating, to prevent it melting with the warmth of your hand. To microwave, leave uncovered and cook on full power at 650 watts for about 5 minutes (depending on the power of your microwave oven). Leave to stand for 3–4 minutes before turning out. To check if it is cooked through, a cocktail stick inserted in the middle should come out clean.

  • Serves: 6
  • Preparation time: 3 hour 5 minutes
  • Serving Cost: 36p