Spotted Dick

If you’re looking for an old-fashioned dessert that also serves as an interesting conversation starter, this pudding is just the ticket. Learn how to make spotted dick, a British dessert with a wonderful, lightly sweet flavor that’s made even better with a drizzle of vanilla custard sauce.

What is spotted dick?

Spotted dick is a type of traditional English pudding—a term that needs elaboration because it’s different from Americans’ Jell-O type of puddings. In the U.K., there are two categories of pudding. You may be familiar with savory pudding, like black pudding sausages and batter-based Yorkshire puddings made with meat drippings. But pudding also refers to a number of desserts, either steam-cooked or baked. The texture of dessert puddings might be heavy with liquor, fruits and nuts like a holiday plum pudding or have a lighter, cakelike texture like that of spotted dick.

As for the unusual name of this dessert, “spotted” refers to the dark currants suspended in the light cake and “dick” comes from puddick or puddog, Old English versions of the word pudding. (This pudding is also sometimes called a spotted dog.) Because the traditional name tends to raise eyebrows and prompt crude jokes, some government dining halls in England reportedly refer to this dessert as “spotted Richard” instead!

Ingredients for Spotted Dick

• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is the best type of flour for the spotted dick recipe. Many Brits use self-rising flour (a pre-mixed flour containing all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt), but that isn’t as common an ingredient in the States, so we’ve adapted our spotted dick recipe to use only all-purpose flour and baking powder in separate measurements.
• Baking powder: The cakelike texture of this dessert is thanks to baking powder in the batter, which helps it rise. It works first when milk is added and again with heat from the steam-cooking process.
• Butter: The fat used in a traditional spotted dick is suet, an ingredient found in many English recipes. This fat comes from the kidney area of cows or sheep and gives dishes a rich, slightly savory flavor. However, butter works just as well in this recipe and is easier to find than suet.
• Sugar: We’ll sweeten the spotted dick and the custard with regular granulated sugar.
• Dried currants: Tiny, chewy currants add sweetness and texture, as well as the pudding’s “spotted” appearance. Look for dried currants, often labeled as Zante currants, in the same aisle as raisins and other dried fruits.
• Lemon and orange zests: A little lemon and orange zests brighten the flavor of spotted dick. When zesting the lemon and orange, you want to grate just the colorful skin, not the bitter white pith underneath.
• Milk: You’ll need milk for the spotted dick and the custard. Whole milk provides the richest flavor, but you can use 2% or skim if preferred.
• Egg yolks: Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites, and save the egg whites for egg white recipes like meringue cookies or an omelet.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the bowls and Dutch oven

Fill two 1/2-quart oven-safe bowls with water, then add them to a Dutch oven. Fill the Dutch oven with water until it reaches three-fourths of the way up the bowls.

Remove the bowls, discarding the water in the two bowls, then grease each bowl with 1 tablespoon of softened butter. Set the bowls aside.

Step 2: Prepare the batter

Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Grate the cold butter into the mixture, then toss the butter pieces until they’re coated in the flour mixture.

Stir in the sugar, currants, and lemon and orange zests. Pour the milk into the bowl and stir until the mixture becomes a thick batter.

Spoon the batter into the buttered pudding bowls.

Step 3: Prepare the coverings and twine

Grease one side of a sheet of parchment with the remaining tablespoon of softened butter. Cover the bowls with the prepared parchment, butter side down.

Cover the parchment with foil, then secure it with twine around the bowl. Using a second piece of twine, create a handle to help remove the pudding after cooking.

Editor’s Tip: The tight covering of parchment and foil allows the spotted dick to steam-cook while preventing water from seeping into the pudding bowl.

Step 4: Steam the puddings

Bring the water in the Dutch oven to a boil. Place the bowls into the water, then secure the lid on the pot. Reduce the water to a simmer, and steam until the pudding is set and the internal temperature reaches 180°F, about one hour.

Editor’s Tip: If you want, you can put a folded cloth under the pudding bowls to keep them from rattling. The simmering water should always be about three-quarters of the way up the sides of the pudding bowls; check the level once or twice during cooking and add more water if necessary.

Step 5: Make the custard sauce

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until smooth.

Place the whole milk, heavy cream and vanilla extract into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring the milk mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring often. Once the milk is simmering, whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks while whisking constantly to prevent the yolks from curdling.

Return the egg mixture to the saucepan and and whisk constantly. Bring to a gentle boil, and cook and stir 2 minutes until it’s thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but still pourable. Remove from heat.

Transfer the custard to a serving bowl or pitcher.

Step 6: Unmold the puddings

Carefully remove the pudding bowls from the Dutch oven and let sit for five minutes.

Remove the foil and parchment. Place a plate on top of each bowl, then flip to transfer each pudding to a plate.

Serve slices of spotted dick while warm or at room temperature, with custard sauce spooned or poured over the top.

Recipe Variations

• Include other dried fruits: Can’t find currants? Raisins, cranberries, dried apples or any other dried fruits work here. Chop any larger fruits into the size of dried currants so they’re easier to eat.
• Play with baking spices: Warm up the flavor with a little cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom and ginger. Start with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of any other spice.
• Make it boozy: If you’re serving adults only, slip a little rum, brandy or bourbon into the custard, or soak the dried currants in one of them for a few hours.

How to Store Spotted Dick

Allow spotted dick to cool to room temperature, then cover it tightly in storage wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to three days. Store cooled custard sauce in the fridge for up to three days as well.

Can you make spotted dick ahead of time?

Spotted dick tastes best the day you make it, but you can make it the day before serving. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then cover it tightly in storage wrap and let it chill in the fridge. Before serving, let the spotted dick come to room temperature or rewarm it in the oven. You can make the custard two days in advance too. Rewarm it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring every now and again until warmed through.

Tips for Making Spotted Dick

Why are there scrambled eggs in my custard?

Scrambled eggs will appear in the custard if the eggs weren’t tempered correctly. It’s a bit of a fast step, so it’s important to have everything ready and a firm grasp on the directions. You must whisk constantly when you temper a little of the hot milk into the eggs, then you need to do the same when you add the hot egg-milk mixture back into the pot. If there are only a few scrambled egg pieces in the custard (five or fewer), then run the custard through a fine-mesh sieve. If there are more, you may want to start over.

What’s the best type of sugar to use in spotted dick?

Recipes for spotted dick may call for caster sugar, which is a common ingredient in English baking. The texture of caster sugar falls between granulated and confectioners’ sugar, and the closest American equivalent is superfine sugar. This finer texture sugar is important in recipes like meringues and hot drinks because it dissolves more quickly. If caster or superfine types of sugars aren’t available in your area, the good news is that granulated sugar will work just as well.

What is a pudding mold?

Traditional steamed pudding recipes like spotted dick may call for a pudding mold, which can be a heatproof ceramic bowl, as we use in this recipe, or a metal basin with a clamp-on lid and a center tube, much like a Bundt pan. If you have a metal pudding mold, use it to make this spotted dick recipe. Since it has a lid, you won’t need to tie on a parchment and foil cover. Metal pudding molds are available in kitchen stores and online shops.