Suet Pudding – Modified 2023

2  1/2 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1   1/2 cups chopped dates, figs, or raisins
1 cup suet (chopped ) (bought box of Atora Vegetable Shredded Suet)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
grated rind of a lemon
1 cup buttermilk (I used dry buttermilk powder with 1 cup water )
1 cup molasses

Sift flour with baking powder, soda, salt and spices.
Add chopped dates and figs or raisins
Break or grind suet into small pieces and cream well, adding sugar and eggs slowly.
Alternately add buttermilk and dry ingredients to suet mixture and mix until combined.

Fill a well greased mold or pudding pan two thirds full. Tie on lid and double thickness of waxed paper over top of pan and steam for two hours or until done.

 
Sunshine Sauce
1/2 cup evaporated milk, well chilled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup mild honey
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/2 tsp salt
nutmeg
2 tablespoons vinegar

Chill milk and whip until light and fluffy.
Add lemon juice during the whipping,
Stir in egg yolk and gradually beat in the honey and butter. Fold in salt, nutmeg and vinegar.
This sauce will stand up several hours

 

Notes for reference: I modified the original recipe by adding molasses and decreasing amount of granulated sugar used. I used dry buttermilk powder with water instead of fresh buttermilk.  Steamed in the old steamer from Mom Humphrey that has the clamps and steam vent like a pressure canner for about two hours.  Used the standard family hard sauce recipe (see separate recipe)  but the sunshine sauce in this post sounds good too.

Had tried earlier to make Grandma McP suet pudding recipe from the handwritten recipe card I had been given as a wedding present. It came out as a failure since I did not use the right amount flour “to make a stiff batter” and the suet had been in the freezer for at least five years and had an off texture so bought new suet.

Tried a box of Atora band shredded suet ordered that I ordered from Amazon. No fresh suet available at meat market right now.

Always remembered Grandma’s suet pudding was very dark and dense so she must have added molasses so I modified this recipe. Spent some time researching other recipes for suet pudding on the internet and Connie sent recipes from Mary Cary and Delia McPherson.   So modified this recipe to see if I could come close to memory of what Grandma made.  This modifed recipe is a keeper. Hard Sauce came out great too.