Fruit of the Forest Steamed Pudding

This is a traditional recipe for a cooked mixed berry pudding that is essentially an autumn pudding that is steamed in a pastry case and served topped with stewed fruit.

This is quit a light pudding of its type and makes an excellent family dessert. My mother makes a version of this with the season's first blackberries, and it's delicious, but I think the mixed berry version is better for everyday.

Fruit of the Forest Steamed Pudding

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

225g (8 oz) self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
110g (4 oz) butter or margarine
50g (1 3/4 oz) golden caster sugar
500g (1 lb) frozen black mixed fruit

Method:

Sift together the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Dice the butter or margarine, add to the bowl and rub into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.

Stir in 1 tbsp of the sugar then work in the milk until the mixture comes together as a dough. Trim off 1/3 of the dough, cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and set aside.

Turn the remaining 2/3 of the dough onto a floured work surface and roll until large enough to cover the base and sides of an 850ml (3 2/5 cups) heatproof basin.

Mix 300g (2/3 lb) of the fruit with the remaining sugar then spoon into the bowl. Roll out the remaining dough to form a lid and sit this on top of the fruit. Crimp to the dough on the edges.

Cover the pudding with a lid or a folded piece of greaseproof (waxed) paper and secure to the sides of the bowl with string (pleat the paper if using to allow space for the pudding to rise).

Place the pudding in a steamer basket over a large pan of boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for 80 minutes, or until nicely risen and dry on top. Ensure that the pan does not boil dry during this time.

When the pudding is nearly ready, place the remaining fruit in a saucepan. Add 3 tbsp water, bring to a simmer and cook for 4 minutes. Take off the heat, then push through a nylon or fine-meshed sieve with the back of a spoon to form a puree (discard any seeds).

Remove the pudding from the steamer. Take off any coverings and carefully loosen the sides with a flat-bladed knife. Invert the pudding onto a serving plate and serve accompanied by the fruit sauce.