Puddings and Cakes in England

There are hundreds of variations of sweet puddings in England but each pudding begins with the same basic ingredients of milk, sugar, eggs, flour and butter. Many of the puddings involve fresh fruit such as raspberries or strawberries, custard, cream, and cakes.

“ … a moment later the puddings appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavour you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate éclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, jelly, rice pudding…”

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, J. K. Rowling

The more traditional and well known home-made puddings are apple or rhubarb crumble, bread and butter pudding, spotted dick and trifle. The traditional accompaniment is custard. The dishes are simple and traditional, with recipes passed on from generation to generation.

Spotted Dick (Also called Spotted Dog)

Sponge pudding with sultanas and raisins.

Trifle

Made with layers of sponge cake altternate with custard, jam or fruit and Whipped Cream. Sometimes alcohol-soaked sponge cake is used.

Apple Crumble

Often served with thick cream, ice cream or custard.

Hasty Pudding

A simple and quick (thus the name) steamed pudding of milk, flour, butter, eggs, and cinnamon.

Bakewell pudding - also called Bakewell Tart.

Custard

A thick, rich, sweet mixture made by gently cooking together egg yolks, sugar, milk or cream, and sometimes other flavorings. Most people today use a yellow powder mixed with milk, water and sugar. Custard can be served as a hot sauce, poured over a dessert, or as a cold layer in, for example, a trifle. When it is cold, it 'sets' and becomes firm.

Bread and butter pudding - old English favourite

Semolina Pudding

A smooth, creamy puddmade of milk, eggs, flavouring and sugaring. Semolina is cooked slowly in milk, sweetened with sugar and flavoured with vanilla and sometimes enriched with egg. Semolina pudding can be served with raisins, currants or sultanas stirred in or with a dollop of jam.

Roly-poly

A pudding made of jam or fruit rolled up in pastry dough and baked or steamed until soft.

English Crumpets

A tasty "muffin" that goes great with tea, and spread with butter and preserves.

Mince Pies

Pastry shells filled with mince meat, and sometimes brandy or rum. Traditionally eaten at Christmas time.

Treacle pudding

A steamed pudding with a syrup topping.

Jelly and Ice Cream

A favourite party food for children.

Parkin
A spicy cake combining oatmeal and ginger. Traditionally enjoyed around Guy Fawkes Night (November 5)

Sample Pudding Menu Served in a Restaurant in England

Apple and Plum Crumble with custard

Served hot or cold with cream, custard or ice cream.

Apple and Blackberry Crumble

Served hot or cold with cream, custard or ice cream.

Vanilla creme brulee with a Shrewsbury biscuit

Lemon Meringue served cold with cream or ice cream.

Strawberry cheesecake with strawberry sauce

Bread & Butter Pudding served hot with custard

Sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream toffee sauce

Ice creams - strawberry and cream, vanilla, chocolate, rum and raisin and honeycomb

Sorbets - raspberry, lemon, blackcurrant, mandarin and apple