Simple Jam Sponge Pudding Recipes

SIMPLE JAM SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• Grease the inside of four 175ml (6fl oz) pudding basins with butter. Put 1tbsp of jam in the bottom of each and put to one side. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6.
• Whisk together the butter and orange zest with a small electric whisk until smooth. Whisk in the caster sugar until thoroughly combined - about 10min - then gradually whisk in the egg. Fold in flour, then sufficient orange juice to give a soft dropping consistency. Spoon on top of the jam and smooth the surfaces.
• Butter four discs of foil, measuring about 12.5cm (5in) across, and cover the puddings with them, folding under the rim to secure. Put the basins in a large roasting tin. Pour in enough boiling water to come at least halfway up their sides. Cook for 45min or until the puddings are risen, cooked to the centre and golden brown on top. Lift out of the roasting tin, unmould when ready and serve with pouring cream or custard.

BASIC SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven Gas 4/355F degrees.
• Well butter 2 1/2 to 3 inch deep pie dish.
• Cream together the butter or margarine and sugar.
• Add eggs one at a time with a little flour until smooth.
• Add remaining flour, baking powder (if used) and salt, beating well.
• Add the milk, and beat again.
• Pour mixture into dish and smooth the top.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until well risen and brown.
• Variations to the Basic Sponge: Sultana Sponge; Put 2 oz sultanas in the bottom and around the sides of a well buttered dish, pour on the mixture.
• Apricot Sponge: Add 3 soaked apricots chopped small, to the mixture, put 3 or 4 apricot halves in the bottom of the dish, pour on the sponge mixture.
• Jam Sponge: Put 3 or 4 tblsp of any kind of jam in the bottom of the dish, pout on the sponge mixture.
• Syrup Sponge: Put 1 tblsp of golden syrup in the bottom of the dish, pour on mixture.
• Chocolate Sponge; Substitute 1 tblsp cocoa for 1 oz.
• flour, sieving it with the flour.
• Ginger Sponge; Add 1 tspn ground ginger to the flour and use 4 oz golden syrup instead of sugar, melted in warmed milk.
• Black Cap Pudding:Put a tblspn cleaned currants in the bottom of the dish, pour on the mixture.

AS-YOU-LIKE-IT STEAMED PUDDING

Steps:

• Generously grease a 1.2-litre pudding basin and put your chosen topping in the base. Boil a kettle of water. To prepare your steamer, put a snugly fitting upturned bowl in the base of a large, deep saucepan, big enough to hold the pudding.
• Put the ingredients for the sponge in a food processor and blend until smooth (but don't overwork the mix), then tip into the pudding basin. Cover with a lid made of baking parchment and foil, and tie with string to secure (see step-by-step). Stand the pudding on the upturned bowl in your saucepan. Pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the side of the pudding basin. Set over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and leave to steam for 2½ hrs, topping up with boiling water if the level gets too low.
• Check the pudding is cooked by inserting a skewer through the foil and parchment lid into the centre of the pudding. If the skewer still has some wet mixture on it, return the pudding to the steamer for a further 15-20 mins, then check again. Once cooked, uncover and turn the pudding onto a plate. Serve straight away with custard, if you like.

MICROWAVE SPONGE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a microwavable bowl, put the jam or syrup so that it covers the bottom. This will be the top of your cake.
• Here it is best to use a food processor, although if you want to you can do it by hand. Put all of the remaining basic ingredients into a bowl (or the mixer) with one of the flavour ingredients. If you want to, you can keep it plain.
• Mix or blend all of the ingredients together until smooth.
• Put in bowl on top of jam/syrup and microwave without a lid on full for 5 mins. Leave for 1-2 mins to stand.