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Rolly-Polly Pudding
865. This well-known pudding is made by rolling out a thin layer of suet or butter paste, as for puddings, upon which either a preserve or dried currants are spread evenly, leaving an inch bare at the edges all round, except on that next the cook, and then the whole is rolled up into a long pudding, closed at the ends by pinching the paste, and enveloped in the same way in a cloth, which is tied with a string at each end, and boiled about one hour.
A boiled roly-poly is straightforward once the wrapping is right: the cloth must be scalded, floured and tied loosely enough for the paste to swell, or the pudding cooks solid.
- The pasteSuet paste for this is roughly 8 oz plain flour, 4 oz shredded beef suet, half a teaspoon salt and a teaspoon of baking powder, brought together with 4-5 fl oz cold water. Roll to about a quarter inch, no thinner, or jam bursts through in the pot.
- Why the near edge is left uncoveredWhy the near edge is left covered -- The bare inch at the sides and far end seals the roll; the edge nearest the cook is covered so the filling reaches right into the first turn. Damp the bare margins before rolling and pinch the ends firmly.
- Filling quantitiesThe original gives none. Allow about 8 oz jam or 6 oz dried currants with 2 oz sugar for a paste made from 8 oz flour. More than that and it runs out at the ends.
- Preparing the clothScald a clean cotton or linen cloth, wring it out and dust the inner face generously with flour. Wrap with a pleat along the length so the pudding has room to expand, and tie both ends, not tightly against the paste.
- BoilingThe water must be at a rolling boil before the pudding goes in and must not stop boiling; top up with boiling water from a kettle. One hour suits a pudding of this size, and a large one needs an hour and a half.
- Steaming insteadThe same roll wrapped in greased baking parchment and then foil, again with a pleat, can be steamed over simmering water, allowing a little longer than the boiled hour, and is far less trouble to handle than a wet cloth.
- Yield and servingServes four to six in half-inch slices, cut only after the pudding has stood a couple of minutes out of the cloth. Custard or plain cream is the usual accompaniment; a jam roly-poly wants something unsweetened alongside it.