Spotted Dick Recipe

Spotted Dick is a classic British steamed pudding made with suet and dried fruit. It’s soft, lightly sweet, and best served warm with custard. Don’t worry about the funny name — it’s an old traditional dessert and it’s genuinely delicious.

Why Make This Recipe

This recipe is simple, comforting, and perfect if you want to try a traditional British dessert at home. It uses basic pantry ingredients, the steps are easy, and the pudding comes out soft and fluffy with sweet “spots” of currants or raisins.

How To Make Spotted Dick

Ingredients:

For the pudding

• 250g self-raising flour
• 125g shredded suet (vegetable or beef)
• 100g caster sugar
• 125g currants or sultanas
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Pinch of salt
• 150ml whole milk
• 1 egg, beaten (optional)

For the custard

• 500ml whole milk
• 1 vanilla pod (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix the pudding batter: In a bowl, mix flour, suet, sugar, currants, lemon zest, and salt. Add milk (and egg if using) and stir until you get a thick, sticky batter.
2. Fill the basin: Grease a pudding basin (about 1 liter). Spoon in the mixture, leaving a little space at the top. Cover tightly with parchment paper and foil, then tie with kitchen string.
3. Steam & make custard: Place the basin in a pot with simmering water (water should come halfway up the sides). Cover and steam for 1½–2 hours, topping up water with boiling water if needed. For custard, heat milk + vanilla until hot. Whisk yolks + sugar (+ cornstarch if using), then slowly whisk in the hot milk. Return to low heat and stir until thick enough to coat a spoon.

Prep Time And Nutrition Facts

This recipe takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 1½–2 hours to steam, making a total of about 2 hours. It serves around 6–8 people, and each serving is roughly 325 calories (depending on custard portion).

How To Serve Spotted Dick

Serve warm slices with hot custard poured over the top. You can also add a light dusting of powdered sugar or a little extra lemon zest.

How To Store Spotted Dick

Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly and store in the fridge for up to 4–5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months. Reheat by steaming again until warmed through.

Tips To Make Spotted Dick

• Don’t overmix the batter or it can turn dense.
• Cover the basin tightly so water doesn’t get in.
• Check water level during steaming and always add boiling water.
• Toss the dried fruit with a little flour to help it stay evenly mixed.

Health And Benefits Of This Recipe

This dessert is an occasional treat, but the dried fruit adds small amounts of fiber and minerals. You can also reduce sugar slightly or use vegetable suet if you prefer.

Variation (If Any)

• Use raisins, cranberries, or chopped dates instead of currants.
• No suet? Use grated cold butter as a substitute.
• Dairy-free: use oat milk and make custard with cornstarch + plant milk.

FAQs

1. What is Spotted Dick? It’s a traditional British steamed pudding with dried fruit “spots.”
2. Is it spicy? No, it’s sweet and mild — not spicy at all.
3. Can I make it without suet? Yes, use grated cold butter instead.
4. How do I know it’s cooked? A skewer should come out clean and the pudding should feel springy.
5. Can I make it ahead? Yes, make it a day ahead and re-steam to warm before serving.
6. Can I freeze it? Yes, freeze up to 3 months and thaw overnight before reheating.
7. Do I have to make homemade custard? No, you can use store-bought custard, but homemade tastes better.