Roly-poly Pudding

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Rolling pin
• •Unbleached muslin or unscented cotton cloth, about 20 inches (50 cm) square
• •Kitchen string
• •Large 6 to 8-quart lidded pot
• •Small heatproof trivet or saucer
• •Long tongs
• •Sharp serrated knife

Instructions

1. 1

   Rest the paste fully

   Set the half batch of Dumpling and Pudding Pastes (No. 2361), prepared as its own entry directs, in a cool place for one full hour. Keep it covered so the surface cannot dry. This rest relaxes the paste; do not count its mixing time as part of the hour. If the rested paste still pulls back sharply when pressed, cover it and wait another ten minutes. Patience, not harder rolling.

   If the kitchen is warm enough to soften the suet, rest the covered paste in the refrigerator, then leave it at room temperature for ten minutes before rolling.
2. 2

   Ready cloth and boiler

   Use an unbleached muslin square or a clean cotton tea towel washed without scented detergent or fabric softener. Butter a rectangle in its centre slightly larger than the finished pudding, dredge that area evenly with half the flour, and shake away the loose excess. Set a small heatproof trivet or saucer in the bottom of a large lidded pot, add the water, and bring it to a full boil.

3. 3

   Roll and fill

   Dust the work surface lightly with the remaining flour. Roll the rested paste into a neat rectangle about 12 by 10 inches (30 by 25 cm) and one-fifth of an inch (5 mm) thick. Spread the jam in a thin, even layer, leaving a 1-inch (2.5 cm) border clear on every side; too much jam is generosity in the wrong place, because it forces the seam open. Roll from a short side as for a Swiss roll, keeping the spiral even without squeezing it. Pinch the seam and ends closed. If an edge cracks, do not knead the whole roll again. Moisten the crack with a fingertip and press it together, borrowing a scrap from a thick corner if needed. Ça se rattrape.

4. 4

   Wrap the pudding

   Lay the roll seam-side down across the buttered, floured section of cloth. Wrap the cloth around it securely but not tightly, leaving enough ease for the paste to swell by about a finger's width. Gather and tie both ends firmly with kitchen string, like a large wrapped sweet, then fold any long cloth ends back so they cannot trail against the bottom of the pot.

5. 5

   Boil for ninety minutes

   Lower the wrapped pudding carefully into the boiling water. It should remain submerged by about 1 inch (2.5 cm); if it floats above the surface, hold it down with a small heatproof saucer. Cover the pot and maintain a steady, active boil for the full ninety minutes, vigorous enough to cook the paste but not so violent that the roll is battered around the pot. Check the water every twenty minutes and top it up only with boiling water. If the cloth becomes exposed, add boiling water at once and turn the roll so no ridge dries hard.

6. 6

   Slice into a crown

   Lift the pudding out with tongs, drain it well, and let it settle for five minutes before untying. Peel the cloth away slowly. If the surface looks damp, leave the roll uncovered for two minutes and it will dry enough to cut cleanly. Warm the fruit sauce while it rests. Slice the pudding into half-inch (1.25 cm) roundels with a sharp serrated knife, arrange them overlapping in a crown on a warm platter, and serve the fruit sauce alongside. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Very dry beef suet gives the paste its tender, faintly crumbly texture. Packaged shredded beef suet is the honest home equivalent to clearing and chopping a whole piece by hand; ordinary shortening changes both flavour and structure.
• •Choose a smooth jam with enough acidity to stand against the suet paste. Raspberry and redcurrant are especially good. Large pieces of fruit catch under the rolling pin and create weak places where the filling escapes.
• •A cotton cloth carries flavours readily. If it smells of fabric softener before cooking, the pudding will taste of it afterward. Keep one plain, unscented cloth for kitchen work.
• •The fruit sauce should pour readily and taste brighter than the jam inside. If it is too thick, loosen it with a spoonful of hot water; if it tastes flat, a little lemon juice will restore its edge.
• •Five minutes of rest after boiling matters. Cut immediately and the soft paste compresses under the knife; wait too long and the suet begins to set. Warm and settled is exactly right.

Advance Preparation

• •The prepared suet paste can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours. Let it stand at room temperature for about fifteen minutes before rolling so the chilled fat softens slightly.
• •The filled, cloth-wrapped pudding can wait in the refrigerator for up to four hours. Let it stand for fifteen minutes while the water comes to the boil, then give it the full ninety-minute cooking time.
• •For next-day serving, cool the cooked pudding unwrapped, cover it, and refrigerate. Rewrap it in a fresh buttered cloth and warm it over gently simmering water for twenty-five to thirty minutes, until hot through, then rest and slice as directed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 215g)