pudding

Sweet & Sticky Golden Syrup Sponge

baking, dessert, pudding

It’s absolutely freezing outside today, so what better warmer do you want than a sweet, sticky, classic that is Golden Syrup Sponge? This is a really quick and easy pudding,  perfect with ice cream, custard, double cream, whatever your topping, it’ll go. Mine here is with vanilla ice-cream, and a berry compote, like the one here. The compote omits the cinnamon for a squeeze of lemon juice so it cuts through the sweetness of the sponge perfectly.

 

Ingredients

  • 300g caster sugar
  • 300g margarine
  • 300g self raising flour
  • 6 eggs
  • 2tsp vanilla extract
  • 400ml golden syrup (or more or less, depending on how syrupy you like yours)

 

First off, heat your oven up to 160C for a fan and 170C for a gas oven. find yourself a baking tin or a pudding dish and grease with a little butter. If you’re using a tin, grease and then line with baking paper. Pour your golden syrup into the tin or dish and make sure it’s covering the bottom evenly. Once you’ve done this you’re ready to make the sponge, i would suggest putting the tin in the fridge and letting the syrup firm up, this makes your life easier when spooning the sponge mixture on top. In a mixing bowl tip all of your ingredients in. This is an all-in-one sponge, so theres no need for the creaming method. If you’re using an electric machine, just mix on a low setting at first for about 2 minutes before increasing the speed slightly for another 2 minutes, or until all the ingredients are incorporated. If mixing by hand, just give the whole lot a good mix till there are no lumps of margarine left. Spoon the whole lot into the tin or dish and whack it in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, or until golden and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Eat at once with your favourite accompaniment, always ice-cream for me! Enjoy!

 

Panettone & Galaxy pudding.

baking, pudding

So this is essentially a bread and butter pudding, just pimped. I had a leftover panettone loaf from Christmas that no-one’s touched so this was the perfect remedy. And Galaxy chocolate is just the best to cook with. It has the silkiest texture when it’s hot, the richest taste, and is just a good all rounder with everyone. Do not settle for anything less!

Ingredients

  • 1 large panettone loaf (but it would be delicious with a fruit loaf or similar too)
  • 1 250g bar of Galaxy chocolate (or use more…yeah, use more…)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 250ml double cream
  • 500ml milk
  • a little butter to spread onto the top layer of bread.
  • 1 tbsp demerera sugar

First of all, preheat your oven to 170C for a fan oven and 180C for a gas oven. Next, slice your loaf into 1cm-ish slices. Chop your chocolate into small squares. Eat a few. Now start assembling. Layer bread then chocolate, then bread then chocolate. Don’t butter these slices, the bread is rich enough to not need it. Then cut some smaller slices for the top and butter them (we want to sugar crust to caramelise in the oven, and that butter will help). Arrange them prettily on top but remember, the more angles you have, the more crunchy, sugary lusciousness you’re going to have, so layer the slices so they’re not flat (just like mine). Next make the custard mix. Just crack your eggs into a jug and give them a good whisk. Next add your vanilla extract, cream and milk. Give it another whisk and pour it over your bread, making sure you cover all of the top layer. When all of the custard mix is in, push the whole lot down with your hands, this’ll just make sure the bread is fully saturated and you don’t have any dry parts. When you’re ready to go, sprinkle over the sugar and chuck it in the oven for a good 45 minutes, checking it at 30. It’s ready to go when there’s no more wobble in the middle. I’d love to say the same for myself. Enjoy, anyhow!