Golden Syrup Pudding
You know the type of night. The ones that are extra cold and dreary. Rain battering against the window. Wind winding its way under the door so icy that you have to shove the door snake up against the gap a little harder. Your fingers are starting to freeze, you're thinking you should put on another pair of socks.
And you're craving something warm. Something to warm you from the inside out.
In my case it was something warm, sweet and cakey. Something like what Grandma used to make. I knew just what it was...Golden Syrup Dumplings. But I wanted them now! I figured pudding might be easier so I Googled, found a quick microwave recipe and set to making it.
Thick and sticky golden syrup heaven
We miss out on the exciting
creaming of the butter and sugar action,
but here we are pouring the creamed mixture on top
Into the microwave and Out of the microwave
What the top looked like before it became the bottom
Turned out. Oop. Flopsy!
And inside...
To be honest, it was a bit of a flop. Well, parts of it were. That really dark bit you see, where the golden syrup is? Delicious! It was rich and had a lovely bite to it. The rest of the pudding was a teeny bit lacking in flavour, and the texture didn't seem quite right. It wasn't puddingy enough.
Having said that though, it still hit the comfort spot...and erm, I'm still eating it two nights later! I have to add extra syrup to it each time before I heat it up, otherwise it's just a little bit too dry. But when I do that, it truly is delish!!
There's a few reasons I think it didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped:
1. I used the microwave...oven dishes more often than not seem to turn out better. Maybe this microwave one was meant to turn out this way.
2. It wasn't steamed (not that I've ever steamed a pudding!)
3. Some moisture dripped onto it when I took the plate off, making some bits a wee bit mushy
4. I should have used room temperature butter. It took forever to cream due to the butter being so cold, but a finer sugar may have helped too.
5. It needed a bit more vanilla, and I didn't add lemon because I didn't have it. I think lemon would have added beautifully to the flavour.
6. I rushed it. But then, I was impatient to satisfy that craving!
I think the recipe is definitely worth trying again though.
Making the pudding got me remembering Grandma's cooking. Creamy, super sweet neopolitan slice, flavoursome chicken wings with soy and tomato sauce, served with spaghetti, ox tail soup, pasties, tomato soup, spaghetti and meatballs, chokos in white sauce. How I wish I could go back in time to my Grandparent's cozy dining room and eat her wonderful old-fashioned cooking while listening to Grandad's stories.
There was my mum's too: toad in the hole, sweet and sour pork, bbq pork, beef lasagne, chicken wings, corn croquettes, pavlova and baklava, and today, she makes the best baked dinners. Would love to hear your favourites from your parents and grandparents!
Microwave Golden Syrup Sponge Pudding
Ingredients
100 g self raising flour
100 g butter
100 g sugar
30 ml milk
2 eggs (beaten)
few drops vanilla essence
grated zest of half a lemon
3 tablespoons of golden syrup
Method
Cream the butter and sugar together. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla essence. Add the flour, milk and lemon zest.
Put the golden syrup in the bottom of a two pint bowl. Spoon the mixture on top. Place in microwave (with a plate on top). Cook for 3.5 minutes on high. Serve with custard or ice cream.
(N.B. if doubling quantitites, cook for 5.5 minutes on high).