Sussex pond pudding

Dessert: Serves 4. Total time: 4 hours

As far as I can remember, I have never given a recipe for Sussex pond pudding on these pages before; although if I have, of course, I am sure you will be the first to inform me otherwise. Jason the snapper, in fact, began to tell me otherwise just as I was turning said pudding out on to its plate: "I'm sure we did this for the Gammon and Spinach book years ago," he muttered. "That was an 'apple hat', duurrhh ..." I replied. A swift retraction was noted with embarrassed nods, as the suet crust was broken and lemon sludge, rather than golden apple slices, flooded forth ...

It should be said that both puddings look exactly the same from the outside: golden suet crust, steamed inside a buttered pudding basin for 3 to 4 hours and heavenly smells coming forth in both instances. I reckon you could put suet pastry inside suet pastry, steam it for 3 or 4 hours and still please some folk, so particular is its damp scent.

Mix together the flour, suet and salt in a roomy bowl. Add just enough milk to mix to a cohesive mass -- not too sticky, not too dry. Knead for a few minutes until supple, flatten a little and leave to relax for 10 minutes.

Generously butter the pudding basin. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry quite thinly and line the basin with it, allowing a little to overhang the rim. In a bowl, tumble together the butter and sugar with a fork. Place about half of it in the pastry-lined bowl. Using a sharp meat skewer, puncture the lemon all over its surface then push it down into the butter and sugar, as shown on the right. Cover with the remaining butter and sugar.

Roll out the rest of the pastry to form a lid. Dampen the edge of the pastry overhanging the bowl, lay the pastry lid over and clamp the two together with your fingers. Trim off the excess and cut two small holes in the centre of the lid for the pudding to "breathe". Cover with a sheet of buttered, pleated greaseproof paper and then with a sheet of foil. Tie with string to secure. Steam the pudding for 3 to 4 hours. Eat with thick, cold, double cream.