Spotted Dick Recipe (Traditional British Pudding) With Simple Custard
Spotted Dick sits in that comforting corner of traditional English cuisine where puddings are warm, filling, and meant to be served with something creamy. If you grew up on British school dinner dessert trays, you may remember a pale slice of steamed sponge with hot custard poured over the top. If you did not, the first time can be a surprise in the best way: a light sponge pudding dotted with dried fruit, soft yet springy, with a gentle citrus note and a proper vanilla custard sauce that turns it into a full dessert.
This Spotted Dick Recipe focuses on the classic method, written so it feels doable in a normal kitchen. You will get an old-fashioned pudding result without needing specialist gear. You will learn how steaming works, why suet pudding has a different texture from cake, and how to make simple custard that stays smooth.
Along the way, you will see the terms people search for: traditional British pudding, classic English dessert, British comfort food, Victorian dessert, nursery pudding, Sunday pudding, and more. The point is not to tick boxes. The point is to explain what those phrases mean in real cooking terms, so you can get a homemade spotted dick that looks right, tastes right, and slices cleanly.
What Spotted Dick is, in plain words
Spotted Dick is a steamed pudding made from flour and suet pudding batter with currants or raisins mixed through. The fruit creates the “spots,” and the texture is closer to a tender steamed sponge than a baked cake. Many people describe it as a British steamed sponge that stays moist because steam cooks it gently from the outside inward.
A traditional British pudding like this is usually served hot. The usual partner is pudding with custard, which is why so many searches include custard in the same breath. You can treat it as a teatime dessert with small slices, or serve it as a winter dessert after a roast.
Why this classic English dessert still feels modern
Some retro desserts only work as nostalgia. Spotted Dick is different. It is simple, forgiving, and built from pantry basics. It does not rely on heavy chocolate or complicated decoration. The flavour is calm and familiar, which is why it still counts as British comfort food.
It is sometimes described as a Victorian dessert, yet it is not fussy. The method is practical, which is why it shows up in heritage British food lists and family cookbooks. It is one of those UK dessert recipe staples that tastes like home even if you are new to it.
Spotted Dick at a glance
Timing and servings
This pudding works well as a Sunday pudding for a group.
Prep time: about 15 to 20 minutes
Steam time: about 1 hour 30 minutes (varies by shape and setup)
Serves: 6
Example nutrition
Traditional recipes vary. A standard version is often treated as a rich pudding, which makes sense when served in modest slices with custard.
Ingredients for an authentic spotted dick
You can cook this as a basin pudding or a rolled pudding. Both are correct. The ingredients stay similar.
For the pudding
Self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
Shredded suet (beef suet or vegetable suet)
Caster sugar (or fine granulated sugar)
Currants or raisins (or a mix for a dried fruit pudding)
Lemon zest
Orange zest (optional, yet nice)
Milk
This set of ingredients is the heart of a classic pudding recipe. Many people call it a suet pudding because suet is the defining feature.
For serving
Custard, ideally homemade
Extra fruit or a spoon of jam, optional
Suet explained, including the “suet pastry” confusion
Spotted Dick is not a pastry. It is a sponge. The mention of suet pastry shows up in searches because suet appears in both savoury and sweet cooking. In pastry, suet creates a tender, crumbly texture in crusts and dumplings. In a steamed sponge, shredded suet melts during cooking and leaves tiny pockets that help the pudding stay light.
If you cannot find suet, you can swap in cold grated butter. That creates a sponge pudding with a different feel: a little more cake-like, a little less traditional. It can still be excellent, yet it will not taste exactly like authentic spotted dick.
Choosing the “spots”: raisin pudding, currant pudding, or mixed fruit
The classic “spots” are currants. They are small and distribute evenly, so each slice looks properly speckled. Raisins work too, though they are larger and can clump if not separated.
What each fruit does
Currant pudding style: smaller, evenly dotted, slightly tangy
Raisin pudding style: bigger “spots,” sweeter bites, softer texture
Mixed dried fruit pudding: fuller flavour, more chew, less traditional
A small tip that helps
If your dried fruit feels very dry, a quick soak in warm water for five minutes, then a good drain, can soften it. Keep it brief. Over-soaking can cause mushy fruit and watery batter.
Equipment for steamed pudding at home
A steamed pudding can feel intimidating until you see that it is just a pot of simmering water plus a safe barrier between the pudding and the base of the pan.
Option A: pudding basin method (classic)
Pudding basin (or a heatproof bowl)
Baking parchment and foil for a lid
String or an elastic band
Large pot with a lid
Trivet, upturned saucer, or folded towel for the base
Option B: rolled pudding method (easy to shape)
Baking parchment
Foil
String
Steamer basket or a rack inside a pot
Both methods qualify as a steamed dessert recipe. The basin version looks more “proper” on the plate. The roll version is often described as easy spotted dick since it avoids tipping a basin cleanly.
Steaming 101: the part that makes or breaks the texture
Steaming is gentle cooking. The water should simmer, not roar. If the pot boils hard, the pudding can cook unevenly. If the pot barely simmers, the time will drag and the texture can turn heavy.
Water level and refills
Keep the water level at least a few centimetres up the side of the basin or roll setup. Check it now and then. Top up with hot water so the simmer stays steady.
Keeping water out of the pudding
A tight lid matters. Water dripping into the pudding is a common reason for a gummy top layer. Use a parchment layer under foil, crimp it well, and keep the pot lid on.
Heat level
Aim for a steady simmer that produces visible steam. Think gentle bubbles, not violent rolling.
Spotted Dick Recipe: traditional method, two shapes
This section is written so you can pick the shape that suits your kitchen.
Traditional basin Spotted Dick recipe
Ingredient amounts (serves 6)
Self-raising flour: 250 g
Shredded suet: 125 g
Caster sugar: 80 g
Currants (or mix): 180 g
Pinch of salt
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 small orange (optional)
Milk: 150 ml, plus a few spoonfuls if needed
These amounts match what many people recognise as a standard UK dessert recipe portion.
Prep the basin
Grease the basin with butter. Cut a circle of baking parchment for the base if you want extra insurance for easy release.
Mix the batter
Put flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir in suet, sugar, dried fruit, and zest. Pour in the milk and mix until you have a firm yet moist dough. It should hold together without crumbling. If it looks dry, add milk one spoon at a time.
Try not to beat it hard. Overmixing can make flour-based sponge puddings feel tight.
Fill and seal
Spoon the mixture into the basin and level the top lightly. Cover with parchment, then foil. Make a pleat in the foil so the pudding has room to expand. Tie it securely.
Steam
Put a trivet or folded towel in the bottom of a large pot. Place the basin on top. Add hot water to come partway up the basin sides. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pot with a lid.
Steam for about 1 hour 30 minutes. Keep the simmer steady and top up water when needed.
Check doneness
A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. The pudding should feel springy.
Rest and turn out
Let the basin sit for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge. Invert onto a plate. Lift the basin away carefully.
This is your homemade spotted dick, ready for custard.
Easy spotted dick in a roll (steamed in parchment)
This roll method is popular because the shape is easy and the steaming is simple. It can still be authentic spotted dick when made with suet and currants.
Form the roll
Make the same dough as above. Shape it into a thick log.
Wrap it
Lay it on parchment. Wrap it loosely to allow expansion. Add foil around the outside for strength. Tie the ends like a cracker.
Steam it
Place in a steamer basket or on a rack over simmering water. Steam about 1 hour 30 minutes, checking water level.
Slice and serve
Rest briefly, unwrap, slice thickly, and serve with custard.
Simple custard that tastes like school dinner custard, in a good way
Custard can be made many ways. This one gives you a smooth, classic vanilla custard sauce without lumps.
Vanilla custard sauce (stovetop)
Ingredients
Milk: 500 ml
Egg yolks: 3 to 4
Sugar: 40 to 60 g (taste-dependent)
Cornflour: 1 teaspoon (optional, for extra stability)
Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste: 1 to 2 teaspoons
Pinch of salt
You can use full-fat milk for richness. Cream can be added, though milk alone can still taste excellent.
Method
Warm the milk in a saucepan until steaming hot. Do not boil it hard.
In a bowl, whisk yolks and sugar until smooth. Whisk in cornflour if using. Pour a small splash of warm milk into the yolk mix while whisking, then add another splash. This tempers the eggs.
Pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula, reaching into the corners of the pan.
When the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon, take it off the heat. Stir in vanilla and salt. If you want it thinner, add a splash of warm milk.
How to avoid lumpy custard
Low heat and constant stirring are your friends. If it thickens too fast and looks grainy, take it off heat and whisk briskly. Passing it through a sieve fixes most texture issues.
This custard is the finishing touch that turns steamed pudding into a proper pudding with custard experience.
Serving: from teatime dessert to winter dessert centrepiece
Spotted Dick is best served warm. Thick slices look traditional. Custard should be hot and pourable, unless you prefer a thicker spooning custard like classic school dinner style.
Serving styles people love
Teatime dessert: smaller slice, generous custard, cup of tea
Sunday pudding: thick wedge after roast, extra custard on the table
British comfort food bowl: a smaller slice in a bowl, custard poured over, eaten with a spoon
Nursery pudding vibe: soft slice, lots of custard, no extras needed
Baked or steamed pudding: can you bake it
People ask baked or steamed pudding because steaming takes time. Baking can work, yet it changes the result.
Steamed pudding: moist, springy, classic British steamed sponge feel
Baked pudding: more cake-like, browner crust, less traditional texture
If you bake, use a covered dish in a water bath and keep the oven temperature moderate. The goal is gentle heat. Expect a different crumb.
If your goal is traditional British pudding texture, steaming is the better path.
Variations that keep the spirit of the recipe
Fruit swaps
Currants are the classic. Raisins, sultanas, or chopped dried apricots can work. Keep the total amount of dried fruit similar so the dough stays balanced.
Citrus and spice
Lemon zest is common. Orange zest brings a softer note. A pinch of nutmeg can push it into winter dessert territory without tasting like Christmas pudding.
Vegetarian suet
Vegetable suet works well and is widely used for suet pudding today. It keeps the texture closer to the traditional feel than butter does.
A lighter feel without losing the idea
Use a little less suet and a little more fruit, then keep slices modest. The pudding stays comforting without feeling too heavy.
Troubleshooting: fix the problems people run into
The pudding is heavy
Common causes include dough that was too dry, too much mixing, or weak steaming heat that never produced steady steam. Keep the dough moist and the simmer steady.
The top is soggy or gummy
Water likely dripped into the basin or wrapper. Tighten the foil seal. Keep the pot lid on. Use parchment under foil.
It tastes greasy
Suet can taste heavy if the pudding is over-served in huge slices or if the batter ratio is off. Stick to a balanced amount of suet and serve with custard rather than extra butter.
It is dry
This happens with overcooking or low water level that stopped steaming. Keep water level steady and avoid letting the pot run low.
It will not turn out cleanly
Grease the basin well. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge before turning out.
Storage and reheating
Spotted Dick holds up well, which is why it became a familiar British school dinner dessert.
Refrigeration
Cool it fully, wrap it well, refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Best method: re-steam slices for a few minutes until hot.
Fast method: microwave slices in short bursts, covered, with a spoon of water nearby in the dish to keep moisture.
Freezing
Freeze slices tightly wrapped. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat with steam or microwave.
Final thoughts
A good Spotted Dick recipe is less about fancy technique and more about steady steaming, a moist dough, and a proper custard. With suet, currants, and citrus zest, you get a traditional British pudding that tastes like it belongs on a Sunday table. With vanilla custard sauce poured over a warm slice, it becomes the kind of classic English dessert that earns its place in heritage British food collections and still feels comforting today.
