Treacle Sponge

[scordelia]

After trying treacle sponge at Simpson's, it is now officially my son's favorite dessert. He wants me to make it for him.

Thanks.

[jackal10]

Nothing easier

http://recipes.egullet.org/recipes/r1310.html

The 4 minutes in a microwave is a good trick. Not a good as steaming for 2 hours, but good in an emergency.

Many variations swapping the treacle for jam or marmelade, or adding ginger or chocolate orother flavours to the sponge

[evilhomer]

this is certainly an easy enough looking recipe and any use of lyle's rates highly in my book, but could someone speak briefly to the technique of steaming a pudding.

What is a mold? where can I get one or what could I substitute? how do you tie it down (tie what down? tie with what?) and then do you put the tied mold just right down on the bottom of a big pot of water, crank it up, cover and leave it or is there some other subtlety I'm overlooking?

I've come across a few very appealing recipes of late which require steaming so I greatly anticipate these answers.

thanks kindly

Edited June 21, 2005 by evilhomer (log)

[binkyboots]

for a mold I use a plastic pudding basin like these it has a fitted lid and spares me the faffing around that pleating cheesecloths and paper always caused, I'm clumsy

[jackal10]

A mold is a basin or anything similar that will stand the heating and is the shape of the finished pudding. Traditionally china, but also in Pyrex, plastic with snap-on lids or even disposable aluminium foil.

You want to cover to stop the water getting in while cooking. Traditionally use greasproof paper or baking parchment, folded in a z-fold to allow for expansion, and tied down with string around the circumference. Pudding basins have a lip to hold the string.. I find a rubber band around the basin over the paper helps hold it down, so you don't have to wrestle with the paper and the string at the same time. You still need to tie down, as the rubber band will break when cooked.

Its also easier to get out of the pan if you tie a piece of string over the top and round the bottom to act as lifting handle. Check it will take the weight.

To steam put the pudding in a large pan and fill with water about half way up the basin. Dont put in so much that the water goes over the top of the basin. The paper is not that waterproof. A half lemon or some vinegar or other acid in the water will be kinder to your pans. Bring to the boil, and simmer with the lid on for the required time, topping up the water if needed.

Edited June 21, 2005 by jackal10 (log)

[evilhomer]

thank you - this sounds eminently do-able

(what's a z-fold?)

[jackal10]

I knew I would end up taking a picture...but the weather is too hot for steamed puds, so this is an empty pudding basin.

A z-fold is a pleat in the form of a letter z ;

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Edited June 22, 2005 by jackal10 (log)

[Wendy DeBord]

I have to admit I'm not at all familar with this item. Does anyone have a photo of a treacle sponge........and can you descibe it more, please?

Thanks..........

[jackal10]

I'm not making Treacle Sponge, even to photograph for eG, with the weather at over 90F

However Saint Delia obliges: http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/r_0000001044.asp

Edited June 23, 2005 by jackal10 (log)

[evilhomer]

alright - as with most things culinary - i thought that would be much mroe complicated than it actually is.

Nothing to get your day going like a little ASCII CAD.

now it just needs to get a bit cooler and i can start making the sponges (and fruitcakes) of my dreams.

[onehsancare]

Is molasses a substitute for black treacle? One to one ratio, or ?

[kitwilliams]

I purchased quite a few small Mason Cash pudding basins online a few years ago in which to steam Christmas puddings and give as gifts...can't remember the site, don't feel like looking for the receipt, so found them on Amazon for very reasonable prices. As I recall (my basins are at work), the Mason Cash basins oddly have only three grooves in the bottom to keep the string from slipping . I'm not clever enough to figure out how to rig them that way and prefer the T G Green basins with four grooves which make tying simple . Can anyone explain the three- versus four-groove?

Back to puddings...other than Christmas puddings, I've only ever made a lemon sponge pudding which was light and luscious and I'm puzzled as to why I don't make them more often. Oh! I know! Because they're so good that I tend to eat the whole damn thing!

[jackal10]

The groves aren#t really for string, but to let bibbles of steam out from under the bottom when boiling.

Molasses is treacle, near enough. Personally I prefer just Golden Syrup.

I guess you could also use maple syrup, or any syrup for a slightly different taste.

Don't forget the custard and/or cream, and make enough for second helpings.

[Adam Balic]

I think that if you used black treacle (mostly known as "treacle") or molasses the flavour would be very strong and not to everybodies taste. Golden syrup ("light treacle") isn't just a thick sugar syrup (like corn syrup), but has amazing buttery flavours as well. It should be used more often I think.

More treacle

More more treacle

[onehsancare]

I think that if you used black treacle (mostly known as "treacle") or molasses the flavour would be very strong and not to everybodies taste. Golden syrup ("light treacle") isn't just a thick sugar syrup (like corn syrup), but has amazing buttery flavours as well. It should be used more often I think.

More treacle

More more treacle

←

I love Golden Syrup, so I'm not being resistent by asking about black treacle! Delia's recipe (here!) calls for 3 T. Golden Syrup, 1 T. black treacle, plus 3 T. Golden Syrup for pouring on when serving. I just wanted to follow the recipe as closely as possible, at least for a first time.

(I'm so proud--my first link to another site!)

(edited for superfluous consonants)

Edited June 24, 2005 by onehsancare (log)

[kitwilliams]

The groves aren#t really for string, but to let bibbles of steam out from under the bottom when boiling.

←

Thanks, jackal, for clarifying that for me...I can't remember if someone misinformed me or if I simply assumed wrong!