Crockpot Recipe for a Steamed Lemon Sponge Pudding

 Your crockpot can also be used to create a delicious steamed pudding. You will need a pudding basin which can withstand boiling water. It needs to be small enough to stand in your crockpot. It is important to put enough water in your crockpot to avoid it drying out. Use this method for your favourite steamed pudding or try this one.

Steamed Lemon Sponge

Serves 6                             

You need:

1 stick/125g/4 oz butter or cooking margarine

4 tablespoons golden syrup

75g/3 oz caster sugar

2 beaten eggs

Grated rind of two lemons

2 cups/200g/7 oz self raising flour

2 tablespoons of milk

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Method

Grease the pudding bowl and line the base with a circle of greaseproof paper cut to fit. Measure out the syrup into the bowl.

Use a whisk mixer to whisk together the butter, sugar, eggs and flour. Alternatively if you are doing it by hand, cream together the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs a little at a time then gently stir in the flour. Stir in the milk and lemon juice into the mixture.

Spoon the mix into the pudding bowl. Use a spatula to empty the mixing bowl of all the mixture. Cover the bowl with a piece of foil. Tie with string to give you something to lift the bowl out with.

Lower the basin into the crockpot and pour boiling water into the pot so that it comes halfway up the side of the bowl. Put the lid on the crockpot and cook on high for 3-4 hours. Test the cake to check that it is ready: it should bounce back when lightly pressed. If you hear a sound when testing the cake then it may need longer.

To serve, using an oven glove, carefully lift the pudding basin out of the crockpot. Remove the foil and cover the top with a plate. Tip the bowl and plate so that the plate is underneath. Carefully remove the plate and bowl, not forgetting the greaseproof paper. Serve with custard or ice cream.

To make this a lower fat dish, substitute butter for low fat cooking spread and the sugar for artificial sweetener.