Many family favourite style warming winter puddings were discussed last evening on ABC Sydney Evenings with Renee.

In this blog there are recipes for:

• Crumble topping mixture

• Chocolate self saucing pudding

• Bread and Butter Custard

• Sticky Date Puddings with caramel sauce

• Easy pouring custard (2 renditions)

If there were others that were mentioned that you would like the recipe for, let me know.

Crumble Mixture

I keep a jar of this in the fridge all the time.  It will keep for 2 weeks at least and much longer if frozen (6 months).

1 cup self raising flour

½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

80g cold diced butter

Method

Place all in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  If you don’t have a food processor the same can be achieved by rubbing to butter into the flour and brown sugar with the fingertips.

This amount is enough for one crumble, cooked in a 20cm casserole dish. 

Sprinkle the mixture onto about 3 to 4 cups of stewed fruit (hot or cold) and bake in a moderate oven until the crumble topping is lovely and golden brown.

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Crumble Mixture

I keep a jar of this in the fridge all the time.  It will keep for 2 weeks at least and much longer if frozen (6 months).

1 cup self raising flour

½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

80g cold diced butter

Method

Place all in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  If you don’t have a food processor the same can be achieved by rubbing to butter into the flour and brown sugar with the fingertips.

This amount is enough for one crumble, cooked in a 20cm casserole dish. 

Sprinkle the mixture onto about 3 to 4 cups of stewed fruit (hot or cold) and bake in a moderate oven until the crumble topping is lovely and golden brown.

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Sticky Date Puddings with Caramel Sauce

While this recipe can be made as a single pudding (baked in a greased 20cm deep sided casserole dish for approximately 30 minutes), I generally make the mixture into muffin sized individual puddings.  Any leftovers can then be used in lunchboxes the next day.

1 cup dates

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

2 cups self raising flour

1 egg, lightly whisked

Method

Turn oven on to 170°C (fan forced). Chop the dates roughly (with scissors is good).

Place in a pot with the water, sugar and butter.  Bring to the boil and remove from heat.

Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and leave to cool for 10 minutes

Add the lightly beaten eggs and self raising flour and mix well.

Fill muffin pans to two thirds full (this makes about 12 large muffin sized puddings).

Bake for approximately 15 to 20 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Remove from oven, allow to stand for a few minutes, then remove to a cake cooler or directly into bowls if serving immediately.

Variation – add ½ cup chopped walnuts to the cake batter. Spices can also be added such as a teaspoonful of ground cinnamon and one of mixed spice.

Caramel Sauce                 

1 cup brown sugar

150 ml cream                                  

2 teaspoons golden syrup

2 tablespoons butter

Combine sugar, cream, golden syrup and butter in a saucepan. Bring to the boil.  Simmer for 5 minutes.

Pour a little over each pudding and serve with a little whipped or pouring cream if desired       

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  Bread and Butter Custard

2 large slices bread, crusts removed (though you can leave them on if preferred)

1 tablespoon butter

½ cup currants or sultanas

3 eggs

500ml milk

½ cup sugar (or to taste)

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Method

Heat oven to 140°C (fan forced).  Grease a 20cm casserole dish and have ready a deep sided baking dish into which the casserole dish will fit.

Spread the bread with a little butter, then cut into 2.5cm pieces. Sprinkle the currants or sultanas evenly over this.

Whisk the eggs with the milk, sugar and vanilla until smooth.

Pour over the bread and currants or sultanas.

Sprinkle the top with nutmeg.

Place the casserole dish in the baking dish and pour cold water around it to a depth of 5cm. 

Place in oven and bake until set – about 1¼ hours.  Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Variation

For a quicker version, cook in the microwave on MED-LOW until set for approximately 20 minutes.

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   Egg Custard

2 eggs

½ cup sugar

300ml milk

3 teaspoons cornflour mixed to a paste with 2 tablespoons cold milk

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

Method

Whisk the eggs with the sugar until well combined.

Meanwhile heat the milk to boiling point. 

Pour approximately one quarter of the hot milk into the egg  mixture, stirring constantly, then pour this mixture into the remaining milk in the saucepan, together with the cornflour paste, whisking constantly. 

Cook over low heat until the custard thickens.  Best not to let it boil.

Stir in the vanilla essence.

If you are not serving the custard immediately, cover the surface with cling film or sprinkle with a little sugar to prevent a skin forming.

Hint – instead of the vanilla, the custard can be flavoured with 1 tablespoon sherry or brandy, very nice with a fruit pudding.

Custard powder custard

A quick and easy option when time is short

500ml milk

2 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons custard powder mixed to a paste with about ½ cup extra milk

Heat the milk with the sugar until boiling.  Add the custard powder paste, whisking constantly, and heat until boiling.  Remove from heat.

Hint – to make banana custard, simply slice a couple of bananas and add at the end.

Variation:  if cornflour is used instead of custard powder, this is what was known as blancmange.  Our children used to love this (as I did as a child), spooned into a bowl.  A dollop of raspberry Jam was then placed in the middle.  Simply delicious!