Schooldays Treacle Sponge Recipes

EASY TREACLE SPONGE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Mix the syrup, lemon zest, juice and breadcrumbs and spread over the base of a 1.5 litre baking dish.
• Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in the eggs, one by one. Stir in the flour and milk and dollop over the syrup. Bake for 35-40 mins until golden and risen, and a skewer poked into the sponge comes out clean-ish. Eat with lots of custard, cream or ice cream and extra dribbles of syrup.

TREACLE SPONGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200ºC (180ºC Fan). Grease a 1.5l baking dish.
• In a bowl, mix together lemon juice, zest and golden syrup, pour into the bottom of the baking dish so the entire base is covered.
• In another bowl cream the butter, sugar and salt. Beat in the eggs and fold in the flour. Whisk in milk, so the batter has a dropping consistency.
• Pour mixture into baking dish and spread with a wet spoon or spatula. Bake in the oven for 35-40min. Serve warm with custard or ice cream.

SCHOOLDAYS TREACLE SPONGE

Steps:

• Use a small knob of butter to heavily grease a 1-litre pudding basin. In a small bowl, mix the golden syrup with the breadcrumbs and brandy, if using, then tip into the pudding basin.
• Beat butter with sugar and zest until light and fluffy, then add eggs gradually. Fold in the flour, then finally add the milk.
• Spoon the mix into the pudding basin. Cover with a double layer of buttered foil and baking paper, making a pleat in the centre to allow the pudding to rise. Tie the foil securely with string, then place in a steamer or large pan containing enough gently simmering water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Steam for 1½ hrs. Turn out onto a serving dish. Serve with lashings of clotted cream and a little extra golden syrup drizzled over if you wish.

STEAMED TREACLE SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• First of all butter the basin, then measure 3 tablespoons of golden syrup into it. Then take a large mixing bowl, sift the flour and baking powder into it, add the softened butter, eggs, sugar and black treacle. Next, using an electric hand whisk (or a large fork and lots of elbow grease), beat the mixture for about 2 minutes until it's thoroughly blended. Now spoon the mixture into the basin and level the top using the back of the tablespoon. Place the sheet of foil over the greaseproof paper, make a pleat in the centre, and place this, foil-side uppermost, on top of the pudding. Pull it down the sides and tie the string, taking the string over the top and tying it on the other side to make yourself a handle for lifting. Trim off the excess paper all the way round. Now steam the pudding for 2 hours, checking the water level halfway through. To serve, loosen the pudding all round using a palette knife, invert it on to a warmed plate, and pour an extra 3 tablespoons of syrup (warmed if you like) over the top before taking it to the table. Serve with Proper Custard (see our Cookery School Video), or some well chilled crème fraîche.

MARY BERRY'S TREACLE PUDDING RECIPE

Steps:

• Measure the golden syrup into the bottom of a greased 1.1 litre pudding basin.
• Mix the flour, sugar and suet together in a mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract and enough milk to bind to a soft dough. Pour into the basin on top of the syrup. Cover with greaseproof paper and seal the top with a foil lid.
• Put the basin in a stainless steel saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Fill with enough water to come halfway up the basin and cook on the hob for about 3½ hours, occasionally checking on the level of the water in the pan, topping up when needed with more boiling water.
• OR to cook with an Aga, bring to the boil on the boiling plate for about 8 minutes. Transfer the pan, water and basin to the floor of the simmering oven and cook for about 3½ hours until the pudding is nicely risen and firm to the touch.
• Turn the pudding upside down on to a plate so that all the syrup runs down the sides. Serve warm with custard and more warm golden syrup, if liked.