JAM ROLY-POLY

... is a Victorian British dessert invented in the early 19th century, and also known as Shirt-Sleeve Pudding, because it was often steamed or boiled in an old shirt-sleeve, a replacement muslin cloth for the poor (also, because of this, another nickname for the pudding was Dead-Man’s Arm).

It is very simple and delicious winter pudding, ideal served with classic English custard. But you can make your own variations with strawberry jam or even lemond curd.

Steamed or boiled are the most traditional ways to cook a Victorian Roly-Poly Pudding, (because of the suet) while oven baked has become a good, quick modern alternative, which also gives the pudding a thick crunchy sugar glaze. This recipe follows the traditional steam/boil method, if you would like to bake the pudding in the oven then see this very similar modern recipe for Jam Roly Poly. It is essential that you make your own real vanilla custard to go with this Jam Roly Poly Recipe, you want everything perfect for this Queen of British puddings. Note: you can also try making Spotted Dick pudding, which also uses a similar cooking method.

This recipe is directly taken from Mrs Beeton’s Roly-Poly Jam Pudding, published in her book of 1861 called, ‘Book Of Household Management’. This book became the essential guide to running a Victorian household, with advice on fashion, childcare, animal husbandry, poisons, the management of servants, science, religion, and industrialism. Of the 1,112 pages, over 900 contained recipes, many of which still inspire cooks today. It ran for many editions, being expanded each time, and this Roly Poly recipe always remained within it, and as a favourite recipe it was much copied in other recipe books of the day.

Recipe Ingredients:

350g plain flour (sifted)
1/2 tsp sea salt
150g shredded suet
70g unsalted butter melted
100ml water or milk to bind (the amount of water needed to bind will vary)
100g strawberry or raspberry jam, warmed, (use home-made Raspberry Jam or Strawberry Jam).
a little milk, for brushing

Method

Pre-heat the oven to Gas 6, 200 centigrade. Start by sifting the flour into a bowl with the salt. Add the suet and enough water to create a soft but not too sticky dough.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a 20 x 30 centimetre rectangle. Brush the rolled out dough with the warmed raspberry jam leaving a 1 centimetre border around the edge. Brush the border with with milk and fold over all around. Roll the rectangle towards you from the short side but not too tightly. Place on a greased baking sheet with the seal side downwards. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with caster sugar.

Bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes until golden.

Before serving, sprinkle with a little more caster sugar and serve cut into generous slices with custard.

But if all these explanations were not enough, here you have an excellent video about how to make the Jam Roly-Poly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8d1BeFweEs

Published by Group 5