We hope you enjoyed trying out some baking with real Devon flavour with our first Recipe of the Month last time. This time, we thought we'd go with something a little more unusual, by trying Exeter Pudding.
Exeter Pudding is something of an enigma even here in Devon! Nobody seems to have a definite answer on the origin of this dessert, and there are so many varieties. Happily, this means that this dessert may be tailored to your own preference and even the contents of your cupboard.
Ingredients (to serve 6)
- 6 Trifle sponges
- 150g/5 oz Breadcrumbs
- 50g/2 oz Ratafia Biscuits (similar to italian amaretti)
- 75g/3 oz Butter
- 25g/1 oz Plain Flour
- 3 Medium Eggs
- 75g/3 oz Caster Sugar
- 150g Clotted Cream
- Grated rind of one lemon
- 45ml/3 tablespoons Dark Rum
- 450g/1 lb Fruit Jam
- 1 extra tablespoon of fresh white breadcrumbs
Method
- Mix the 125g of breadcrumbs with the flour, sugar and the grated rind of the lemon in a big bowl.
- Add the butter and cream, and rub it in to the mix.
- Lightly grease a pudding basin, about 25cm/10 ins in diameter
- Coat the butter with the extra tablespoon of fresh breadcrumbs, then cover the bottom of the bowl with the Ratafia biscuits.
- Put a layer of the prepared breadcrumb mixture over the Ratafias.
- Spread some of your chosen jam onto the sponge cakes, then place these on as the next layer
- Continue to build in this way, alternating until all the ingredients have been used.
- The top layer should be the breadcrumb mixture. Heat the oven to 360°F/180°C/Gas 4.
- Drizzle the rum evenly over the top and cook in the pre-heated oven for an hour.
- For traditionalists, replace the butter and cream for suet and sago, which makes a more weighty, wintery pudding.
- Serve warm, or piping hot with a generous helping of custard or clotted cream.
We recommend
Langage Farm Clotted Cream for a superior taste of authentic Devon and a thicker consistency, but double cream can be used as a substitute.
We hope you enjoy making your very own Exeter Pudding, and put your own stamp on it with the different variations it is renowned for. We'd love to hear how you made yours. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or catching up with us on
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