Instant Pot Lemony Sussex Pond Pudding

This amazing dessert dates back from medieval times, but luckily, we’ve got an update to make it using today’s hottest appliance ~ The Instant Pot. Thanks to Geoff Wells for giving us permission to share this wonderful recipe. You can find this recipe, along with other traditional English Puddings, in his book How to Make Spotted Dick and Other Suet Puddings.

This recipe was introduced in Episode 73 and reviewed in Episode 73.5.

NOTES: I reference using a foil sling to easily insert and remove the pudding from the Instant Pot. Here is a good article on foil slings and how to make them.

I substitute leaf lard for suet. I buy mine on Etsy from The Lardist.

Since you are inserting the whole lemon inside of this pastry, it’s a good time to buy organic (unwaxed).

Ingredients

  • FOR THE PASTRY
  • 1 1/2 Cup all purpose flour
  • 1/3 Cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 3/4 Teaspoons salt
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon zest (zest of 1 lemon)
  • 1/2 Cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 Cup suet, finely chopped (I substituted leaf lard)
  • 8 – 10 Tablespoons milk
  • FOR THE PUDDING
  • 3/4 Cups cold butter, cut into small cubes
  • 3/4 Cups brown sugar
  • 1 large lemon (to insert whole, inside of pastry)

Instructions

  1. To make the Sweet Suet Pastry:
    In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, zest of 1 lemon, and the breadcrumbs. Mix well with a fork to make sure the ingredients are well combined.
    Cut in the suet (I used leaf lard instead) using a pastry blender, until the mixture looks like coarse meal.
    Trickle the milk over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until it begins to form a dough. Knead the dough until it is well-formed, and still a little sticky.
  2. To make the pudding:
    Grease a 1.5 quart (1.5L) pudding basin.
    Roll out the pastry and line the basin with the pastry. Reserve enough pastry to make a lid, after you have filled the pudding basin.
    Put the lemon on a hard surface, roll it back and forth several times, and prick all over with a fork.
    Add half the sugar and butter to the pastry-lined basin. Place the whole lemon on top.
    Place remaining sugar and butter around the lemon.
    Place the pastry lid on top and pinch the edges to seal.
    Cover the top with aluminum foil