Steamed Syrup Sponge

Method

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1. Butter a 1.2 litre pudding basin generously and spoon the golden syrup into the bottom.

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2. Beat the butter and sugar for 4 minutes until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour with each.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

3. Fold in the remaining flour, the lemon zest and the milk until you have a soft dropping consistency.

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4. Spoon the mixture over the syrup and level the top.

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5. Cover with a pleat of baking paper and a pleat of foil, tie tightly under the rim with string, and make a string handle.

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6. Put the basin on an upturned saucer in a large pan and pour in boiling water to come halfway up the basin. Cover and steam gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, topping up with boiling water as needed.

   Mark done Start 1 hr timer

7. Lift out carefully, remove the covers and run a knife around the edge.

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8. Turn out onto a warm plate and serve with extra warmed syrup and custard.

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Chef’s Tips

• Pleat the paper and foil so the pudding has room to rise.
• Keep the water at a gentle simmer and top up with boiling water. Never let it boil dry.
• Turn it out at once so the syrup runs down the sides.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• No self-raising flour to hand? Use the same weight of plain flour plus 2 teaspoons of baking powder per 150 g.

Pairing Suggestions

• Homemade custard
• Vanilla ice cream
• Double cream

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days and reheat slices in the microwave for 1 minute. Freeze for 2 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.