Honestly I just don’t know that it’s possible to make a steamed pudding look refined in any way. I wasn’t really trying in fairness, I’m not even sure if I care… but this looks an absolute state and that flies in the face of the fact that it was utterly delicious and frankly confirms to me that steamed puddings are incredible and under-rated in world wide cuisine.
Non-sueted version, as I decided that I would aim for a light and airy squishiness. And starting life as a Burn’s night whisky and marmalade pudding, with the marmalade and whisky removed.
The texture is just heavenly, no dry baked cake can approach it. Some may say that a texture would be required for elevated status among the higher rankings of desserts… But sometimes… sometimes a crisp or a crunch is just going to get in the way. And certainly have no place in providing a warming and stupefying end to a chilly day spent wading through the Exmoor mud.
The only thing I would consider for iterative improvement is the jam, a home made one that is many times better than a shop bought jam, however it did remain fairly solid upon turning the pud out and I wonder if steps should be taken to make it a little more syrupy or saucy. Perhaps loosening it, then adding to the pudding bowl and freezing for 10 minutes would provide a solid base on which to lay the batter.
From Bread, Cake, Doughnut, Pudding – Justin Gellatly (The Whisky & Marmalade Sponge Pudding)