A Roly Poly Pudding is a classic British dessert that gives you all the comfort of a saucy, sweet steamed pudding without the many hours to wait. Although traditionally made with jam instead of fruit, you can use whatever fruit’s in season or preserved. This recipe was given to me many years ago by a friend’s mother in British Columbia, Canada who was a wonderful cook. She was never happier when the table couldn’t fit another chair for more hungry guests so this recipe caters for many. However I’m certain with the cold wintery days and nights ahead it won’t go to waste.
Ingredients
(Serves 10)
2 cups water
200 g (1 cup) caster sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup caster sugar
360 g (2 ¾ cups) + extra plain flour for rolling
4 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
140 g butter, diced
250 ml (1 cup) milk
3 cups rhubarb, diced
3 cups frozen / fresh berries
1 tbsp butter plus extra, softened
Method
- Heat the water and 200 g caster sugar together until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
- Mix the 1/3 cup caster sugar and teaspoon ground cinnamon together and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 220 c.
- Combine the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Rub the 140 g diced butter into this dry mix until crumbly.
- Pour in the milk and combine to make a soft ‘scone-like’ dough.
- Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to a ½ cm thick 35cm x 40cm rectangle.
- Evenly dot the softened butter over the surface of the dough.
- Combine 2 cups rhubarb and 2 cups berries together and scatter over the surface of the dough.
- Sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar before rolling into a log starting from the long side.
- Cut into 10 x 3cm thick slices and lay cut side up in a buttered deep baking dish.
- Scatter over the remaining rhubarb and berries before pouring over the syrup.
- Bake in the oven for 20 minutes before reducing the temperature to 180 c for another 20 minutes.
- Serve warm with pouring cream.
