Author Topic: Sussex Pond Pudding  (Read 3135 times)

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Sussex Pond Pudding
« on: 15 December, 2008, 11:14:10 am »
There. I said it.

What a glorious pudding. A veritable emperor of puddings.

I made my last one with vegetarian suet and it was excellent. So there's no excuse for any of you.

Go make a Sussex Pond Pudding now!
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #1 on: 15 December, 2008, 11:39:32 am »

Can't agree more, but does hit the old arteries a bit hard.

Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #2 on: 15 December, 2008, 12:34:28 pm »
It was tested on me on Saturday night.

There was much anticipation as Jaded appeared from the kitchen into the dim candle light of the dining room,  with a large plate with what looked like a pale brown, steaming cow-pat squatting on it.

We all looked at it for a moment, taking in the sweet fumes, unsure of what exactly it was that we were to behold. 

And then, in the manner of a 19th century vampire hunter, with trembling hand, Jaded plunged a knife into it's very heart (a lemon, we were soon to discover).  There was a sort of parping, flatulent sound accompanied by a short guff of steam. 

"It's worked!"  exclaimed Jaded.





It was delicious  :thumbsup:


goatpebble

Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #3 on: 15 December, 2008, 10:27:28 pm »
Ah yes, the pudding with the wonderful secret, a heart of sweet lemony Victorian wonderfull loveliness!

I love these old puddings. They are the real thing!

If you can find a copy, Arabella Boxer's 'First Slice Your Cookbook' is full of essential English stuff like this. Lots of really elegant and simple old fashioned things.

Sadly my 1964 copy was lost, along with with many other wonderful books, due to circumstances that are too painful to tell.

Gandalf

  • Each snowflake in an avalanche pleads not guilty
Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #4 on: 17 December, 2008, 08:12:47 am »
Mmmm, all the recipes I've found have milk and butter in them, so it looks like I do have an excuse.

Oh well, can't afford the calories anyway.

Clare

  • Is in NZ
Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #5 on: 17 December, 2008, 08:14:28 am »
Sounds gorgeous, but dumb question - do you eat the lemon or does it get discarded?


Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #6 on: 17 December, 2008, 08:24:57 am »
You eat it - all of it - pips, rind and all!  :thumbsup:
It is simpler than it looks.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #7 on: 21 November, 2020, 01:12:28 pm »
Anyone been watching the current series of Bake Off?

I'm a bit behind but one of the recent episodes had Sussex Pond Pudding for the technical challenge. I was slightly surprised that not a single one of the contestants had even heard of it before, let alone made one. I had a vague recollection that we'd discussed it previously on yacf, hence digging up this ancient thread.

Also found this marginally less ancient post...
https://yacf.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=532.msg605378#msg605378
(I have no recollection what special occasion inspired a meal of roast leg of lamb with boulangère potatoes followed by Sussex pond pudding, but that is basically what I would request as my last supper.)

Sounds gorgeous, but dumb question - do you eat the lemon or does it get discarded?

The key to making a Sussex pond pudding is the long cooking time, which softens the rind to the point that you can cut it easily with a spoon. And the lemon juice mingles with the sugar and butter to make the most wonderful rich sauce. Unlike Jaded, I don't usually eat the pips though.

All the contestants on Bake Off were criticised for undercooking their puds, but I remember thinking at the very start that they really weren't being given enough time, so that's hardly surprising - I think the whole time they were given for the challenge is less than the time I would normally cook it for. But I haven't made one for a while, so maybe I'm misremembering. Maybe I should make one this weekend...
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Mr Larrington

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Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #8 on: 21 November, 2020, 07:34:22 pm »
(Sings)
Oh, the hammer ponds of Sussex,
And the dewponds of the west,
Are part of Britain's heritage,
The part we love the best.
Every eel and fish and millpond
Has a beauty all can share,
But not unless it's got a big brass broken bedstead there.
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Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #9 on: 21 November, 2020, 07:44:18 pm »
I was still in my 30s when Jaded fed me the Sussex Pond Pudding  :-X

Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #10 on: 21 November, 2020, 07:49:59 pm »
I grew up in Sussex and have lived here most of my life and I'd never heard of it till now.

It does sound tasty though.
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Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #11 on: 21 November, 2020, 07:51:21 pm »
It was a brilliant piece of theatre. Tasted good too.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #12 on: 21 November, 2020, 08:00:18 pm »
I was still in my 30s when Jaded fed me the Sussex Pond Pudding  :-X

Have you had another one since then?
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #13 on: 21 November, 2020, 08:01:32 pm »
Never been invited back  ;D

Often happens

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #14 on: 21 November, 2020, 08:03:10 pm »
(Sings)
Oh, the hammer ponds of Sussex,
And the dewponds of the west,
Are part of Britain's heritage,
The part we love the best.
Every eel and fish and millpond
Has a beauty all can share,
But not unless it's got a big brass broken bedstead there.

Had to look that up. Not one of theirs I’m familiar with. I shall have to fix that.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #15 on: 21 November, 2020, 08:04:16 pm »
Never been invited back  ;D

Often happens

Can’t think why.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #16 on: 21 November, 2020, 08:12:41 pm »
My mother made one once. I recall the occasion but Jan tells me that my dad made a fuss saying it was "a lot of fuss about nothing". That would have been typical of something he would have said. I've forgotten how successful or otherwise the pudding was when distributed amongst the rest of us. It's all well over 20 years ago so it's not surprising that my memory is hazy.
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ElyDave

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Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #17 on: 22 November, 2020, 06:18:42 am »
We have a couple of Two Fat Ladies (remember them?) Cookbooks, they tend to have a lot of these traditional puds, including a Sussex pond pudding recipe. I don't remember making this one, but a lot of the others have been very good, such as the summer fruits pudding.
“Procrastination is the thief of time, collar him.” –Charles Dickens

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Sussex Pond Pudding
« Reply #18 on: 22 November, 2020, 07:08:01 am »
I made one last week, off the back of making a steak and kidney pudding the week before and talking to my grate frend Penfold who suggested it. Then when it popped up on The Cake Show shortly after, the deal was sealed and I had to do it.

It was Very Nice.
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