Entertaining!

We had a friend over for Sunday lunch last weekend, the first time we have "entertained" anyone other than family since we moved up here.  It was nice to have Phil round as he is always good company, and for the first time in I-don't-know-how-long we actually ate at the dining table instead of from trays on our laps!

We had a simple roast chicken dinner and I made a steamed black forest sponge pudding for dessert ~ very tasty it was too, even if I do say so myself 😉  It's a simple recipe but I thought I'd share it anyway:

125g (4oz) softened butter (plus a little extra to grease the pudding basin)

125g (4oz) caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 eggs, beaten

175g (6oz) self-raising flour

3-4 tablespoons milk

4 generous tablespoons cherry jam

Put a pan of water on to boil.  Grease a 900ml (1 1/2 pint) basin and spoon the cherry jam into the bottom.

Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy; add the vanilla extract.  Mix the cocoa powder with 3-4 tablespoons of hot water to make a fairly runny paste; beat into the creamed mixture with a tablespoon of the flour.  Add the eggs a little at a time, along with a tablespoon of the flour, beating well after each addition.

Use a metal spoon to fold in about half of the remaining flour.  Fold in the rest of the flour with enough of the milk to give a soft dropping consistency.  Spoon the mixture on top of the jam in the basin.

Cover the basin with a piece of greased and pleated greaseproof paper, securing well with string.  Make a handle with a length of string to make the basin easier to lift out of the steamer ~ I use a pudding basin net that I've had for so long now that I can't even remember where I got it from!

Steam for about 1 1/2 hours ~ remember to check the water level from time-to-time and top up with boiling water if necessary.  Turn out onto a serving plate and serve with custard or cream.

Needless to say, I forgot to take a "before" photo but here's one after we had all had a generous portion LOL

  

We're off to Phil's for lunch on Wednesday 😊