Quite an old-fashioned recipe but perfect for cooking in the AGA.

6 good tablespoons golden syrup
175g (6 oz) self-raising flour
50g (2 oz) caster sugar
75g (3 oz) shredded vegetable suet
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
about 150ml (¼ pint) milk

  1. You will need a 1.1 litre (2 pint) pudding basin, greased.
  2. Measure the golden syrup into the bottom of the basin.
  3. Mix the flour, sugar and suet together in a mixing bowl. Add the vanilla extract and enough milk to bind to a soft dough. Pour into the basin on top of the syrup. Cover with greaseproof paper and seal the top with a foil lid.
  4. Put the basin in a stainless steel saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Fill with enough water to come halfway up the basin and bring to the boil on the Boiling Plate for about 8 minutes.
  5. Transfer the pan, water and basin to the floor of the Simmering Oven and cook for about 3½ hours until the pudding is nicely risen and firm to the touch.
  6. Turn the pudding upside down on to a plate so that all the syrup runs down the sides. Serve warm with custard and more warm golden syrup, if liked.

PREPARE AHEAD
The pudding can be prepared a day ahead.

CONVENTIONAL OVEN
Cook on the hob for about 3½ hours, occasionally checking on the level of the water in the pan, topping up when needed with more boiling water.

This is from my book The Complete AGA Cookbook

Download this recipe