Sussex Pond Pudding – Old Fashioned Steamed Lemon Pudding

May 06, 2023May 6, 20230 2

Sussex Pond Pudding - Old Fashioned Steamed Lemon Pudding

by The Chefin Dessert

Prep

15 min

Cook

180 min

Ready In

195 min

Level

Easy

Rating

Ingredients

	2 unwaxed lemons
	100 g butter , plus extra for greasing
	250 g self-raising flour , plus extra for dusting
	100 g vegetable suet or 100 g grated fozen butter
	150 ml whole milk
	100 g golden caster sugar or 100 g light brown sugar

Nutrision Information

Servings Per Recipe

Calories

603

Sugar

44g

Fat

32g

The Sussex Pond Pudding is a traditional English dessert that has been enjoyed for centuries. Named after the county in which it was first made, this pudding is a steamed dessert that includes a lemon-infused crust and a warm, tangy lemon sauce. The pudding's unusual name comes from the surprising addition of an entire lemon in the center of the pudding, which creates a delicious and unexpected burst of flavor.

Instructions

1.	Cut the butter into small pieces and rub it into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
2.	Stir in the suet or grated butter, milk and sugar to make a soft dough.
3.	Grate the zest from one of the lemons and squeeze its juice. Cut the other lemon into thin slices.
4.	Roll the dough on a floured surface to make a large circle.
5.	Grease a 1l pudding basin with butter.
6.	Cover the base of the basin with a third of the lemon slices.
7.	Sprinkle half of the lemon zest and sugar over the lemon slices.
8.	Put the remaining slices of lemon on top of the first layer, followed by the remaining zest and sugar.
9.	Place the dough over the top of the basin, pressing down the edges.
10.	Fold a large pleat in the centre of a square of baking paper and place it on top of the pudding. Cover with a square of foil, tucking it tightly under the rim of the basin.
11.	Tie string around the rim of the basin to secure the paper and foil.
12.	Place the basin in a large saucepan and add enough boiling water to come two-thirds up the side of the basin.
13.	Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 3 hours, topping up the water when necessary.
14.	Remove the basin from the saucepan.
15.	Take off the paper and foil, and run a knife around the edge of the pudding.
16.	Turn out the pudding onto a serving plate and serve hot.

PROS

Rich lemon flavor, tender crust and tangy lemon sauce make it worth trying.
It’s made with few ingredients and requires no special equipment, which makes it an ideal recipe to make with kids.
The finished product looks beautiful too, especially when topped with cream.

CONS

The pudding requires a long cooking time which can be tiring.
The dough has a tendency to become too thick and heavy.
The finished product can sometimes have a bitter taste due to the lemon rind.

HEALTH & BENEFITS

While the Sussex Pond Pudding may not rank high on the health meter due to its high fat and sugar content, lemons are a great source of vitamin C and antioxidants that help detoxify the body.