February can be a tough month: cold, damp, cloudy, raw, devoid ofmajor celebrations andthereby providing verylittle excuse fornot knuckling down and getting some work done. Every month hasits crucial place inthe gloriousannual round, of course, but sometimes it's hard to remember exactly what the pointofmonth number two actuallyis. It often seems the least fertile and fecund, the least colourful, the least vibrant month ofthe lot. In short, it can take a bit ofgetting through.
Still, I like to make the best of any situation and I believe in small rewards as a form of motivation. Which is why February, I believe, demands that we treat ourselves. And, naturally, when I think of treats, I think of puds.
This is the time of year when ice-creams and sorbets – which generally I love — just don't quite doit for me. In this dark hour before the dawn of spring, I want my puds hot and steamy. And, let's be clear, that doesn't mean stodgy. Victorian-esque, suety ballast (for which thereis, of course, always a time and a place) are necessarily the order of the day when you need a lift. I don't just want to be cosseted and consoled – I want to be cuddled and kissed. I like a hot pud to be alluring, delicate, a little bit sexy… or a lot.
So while my eggy bready puddings (see today's final recipe) are certainly fairly rich, they're also rather classy — the breadcrumbs leaven the custard delightfully by filling it with tiny air pockets. Andtalking of tempting textures, the chocolate soufflé you'll find herewill melt in your mouth, as light asair – but make sure you don'tovercook it: you definitely want it gooey in the middle. Then you'll have yourself a proper chocolate snog.
It's central to the naughty pleasure of these puds that they allconceal a hidden treat of some sort – jam or molten chocolate oozing in the centre, or a syrupy base waiting to be revealed as the pud is turned out. This is one of thekeys to really seductive pudding-making, I think: it's no good being all mouth and no trousers, you've got to deliver on the initial promise with an extra layer or two of deliciousness.
But for all their sassiness and sauciness, these are really simple puddings, too. (I'd say, without exception, that all my favourite sweet dishes are uncomplicated.) There are no fussy techniques, hard to source ingredients or complex advance planning. They can, if you'llforgive the expression, be knocked up quite spontaneously. Socome on baby, light my fire. Oratleast warm my co*ckles a bit.
Syrup sponge pudding
Steamed sponge puddings – as opposed to suet puddings – have aspecial texture: buttery and sweet, but also lusciously light. And that sticky, syrupy bottom is, of course, irresistible. Serves four to six.
3 good tbsp golden syrup
100g unsalted butter, softened
100g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
100g self-raising flour, sifted
A splash of milk
Chilled double cream, to serve
Generously butter a pudding basin with a capacity of around one litre. Spoon the syrup into the base. Cream together the butter and caster sugar until really light and fluffy. Beat in one egg at a time, adding a spoonful of flour with each,then fold in the remaining flour. You should have a batter with a good dropping consistency. If not, stir in a little milk to loosen it.
Spoon the batter into the basin on top of the syrup (don't worry ifitcomes up the sides a little – that's the idea).
Tie a double layer of buttered foil or baking parchment, buttered side down, over the basin. Put a trivet, rack or upturned small heatproof plate in a large saucepan and stand the pudding on it. Pour in boiling water to come about halfway up the side of the basin, then cover the pan and bring to a very gentle simmer. Steam for an hour and a half, topping up the boiling water with more from the kettle a couple of times along the way.
Remove the foil and loosen the edges of the pudding with a knife. Place a plate on top then invert the plate and basin, and unmould the pudding. Slice and serve piping hot with chilled double cream.
Variations
Jam or marmalade pudding Replace the syrup with three heaped tablespoons of marmalade or your favourite jam. And if you're trying amarmalade pudding, consider adding the grated zest of an orange to the sponge batter, too.
Lemon pudding Replace the syrup with the juice of one lemon combined with 25g soft brown sugar. Add the grated zest and juice of another lemon to the sponge batter.
Hot chocolate soufflé
This is a very simple pudding indeed, and it's one based on a Jane Grigson recipe which in turn is based on a Mrs Beeton dish. Break into it as soon as it comes out of the oven to reveal its oozing, melting chocolate core. Make sure the eggs are at room temperature before you start – it really does help when you come to folding them into the chocolate mixture. Serves six.
A little sunflower oil or butter, forgreasing
20g caster sugar, plus a little extra for dusting
150g chocolate, broken into smallpieces
4 large eggs, separated
½ tsp vanilla extract
10g plain flour
Heat the oven to 190C/375F/gas mark 5. Lightly grease a roughly one-litre soufflé dish and dust the inside with caster sugar.
Put the chocolate in a bowl and put it inside a larger bowl of just-boiled water (or use whichever chocolate-melting method you prefer). Leave it to melt, stirring from time to time, and once it is completely melted and smooth, leave it to cool a little.
Whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla, then sprinkle the flour over the top and beat in until smooth. Stir in the warm chocolate.
Whisk the egg whites until they hold firm peaks. Stir a couple of tablespoons of the beaten egg whiteinto the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then add the remaining egg whites and fold them in thoroughly but carefully. It may seem at first that the chocolate is toothick to do this, but persevere: it will eventually come together.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish and bake for 20 minutes, until risen but still a little wobbly. Serve immediately, with atrickle of cold double cream poured into its molten middle.
Eggy, bready, jammy cocottes
This is a version of a pudding that Iusually cook in one large dish. Doing it in individual dishes makes it a bit more coquettish, I think (or should that be cocottish?) and the little well of molten jam in the middle is very alluring. Serves six.
50g unsalted butter
250ml whole milk
150ml double cream
2 medium eggs
2 medium egg yolks
75g caster sugar
125g coarse, slightly stale white breadcrumbs
6 tsp jam – raspberry, damson or black cherry are particularly good with this pudding
With some of the butter, generously grease six ovenproof ramekins of about 175ml capacity. Combine the milk and cream in a saucepan, bring to just below simmering point, then remove from the heat.
Whisk together the whole eggs, egg yolks and all but a tablespoon of the sugar in a bowl, then gradually whisk the hot milk and cream into the egg mixture to form a custard. Stir about 75g of the breadcrumbs into the custard and leave to soak for half an hour so that the crumbs plump up.
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Spoon the mixture into the buttered dishes and drop a teaspoon of jam in the centre of each. Melt the rest of the butter, and combine it with the remaining breadcrumbs and sugar. Scatter this mixture over the top of the puddings.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden and just set, but with a bit ofwobble left in the middle. Leave to settle for about 10 minutes beforeserving.
Variations
For richer puds, soak 75g raisins in four tablespoons of rum or cider brandy for several hours or overnight, and stir these into the breadcrumb custard before you transfer it to the baking dishes.
