This second section of the 1950s vintage Atora Suet Recipe Book covers steamed puddings – it is truly a gem of a book, opening up the world of steamed suet pudding cooking, with a huge varietyof puddings you can make with suet.  The book was published by the company who invented Suet – and it shows how simple it is to cook with suet..

Covering pages 11 to 18 Section 2 is by far the largest section in the book, with a huge variety of steamed pudding recipes by the manufacturers of Atora suet.  The recipes include tweaks and suggestions for alternatives and means there are probably 100-200 variations on steamed puddings in these eight pages

Below I have outlined the ingredients in each recipe, but not transcribed the entire book as it isn’t my intention to type up the entire book, but to give you a guide as to what recipes are inside the book and the type of steamed puddings you can make with suet.

As well as recipes, the booklet contains vital information about how to use and cook suet, as well as the reasons why, so you understand what you’re doing.

Steamed Puddings

Your “ATORA” steamed puddings will always be successful, if you remember:

1. Always steam your puddings, they will be far lighter, more digestible and will retain the flavour of the ingredients.
2. The basin should be left only two-thirds full, so as to leave room for the pudding to rise. Either cover the pudding with greased grease-proof paper or a well-floured pudding cloth to prevent water getting in.
3. It is preferable to use a proper steamer, but if you don’t use one, simply cook the pudding in a basin (covered with cloth or grease-proof paper), then place the basin in a saucepan with enough BOILING water to come half way up the basin. When adding water to maintain this level always use boiling water. Keep the lid on the saucepan.
4. Let the water BOIL steadily all the time, but not too quickly, or the water may boil into the pudding. On the other hand if the water goes off the boil, the pudding becomes sodden and heavy.
5. Steamed puddings need not be made quite as moist as the mixture for baked puddings – for, when baked, the dry air of the oven absorbs moisture.
6. A mixture of half breadcrumbs and half flour, instead of all flour, will give you a slightly lighter, though more crumbly pudding. Recipes where this mixture is recommended are marked with an asterisk*.

A simple way to make breadcrumbs is to cut the bread in a thick slice and rub through a collander – this is a quicker way than using a grater.

The most common causes of failure when making a steamed pudding are too much liquid, or letting the water boil into the pudding.

When eggs are too expensive, or not available, it will be found that most of the puddings can be made without them. Of course, they will not be as rich or nourishing as when eggs are added.

Almond Pudding

• 2oz breadcrumbs. 2oz flour (with plain flour use ½ teaspoon baking powder). 3-4 ozs sugar. 1 oz candied peel. 2 ozs “ATORA”. 2 ozs sweet almonds. 2 bitter almonds. 1 egg (optional). 3 desertspoons milk, if using an egg, otherwise use double the quantity of milk.

“ATORA” Pudding No 1.

• A particularly light pudding suitable for children.  4 ozs flour (with plain flour use 1 teaspoon baking powder). 2 ozs sugar. Pinch salt. 2 tablespoons milk. 2 ozs “ATORA”. 3 tablespoons jam or marmalade or golden syrup.

“ATORA” Pudding No 2.

• A most useful basic recipe that can be served in many ways. *See introduction, page 11. 6ozs flour (with plain flour use 1½ level teaspoons baking powder). 2-3 ozs “ATORA”. Pinch salt. Water to mix.

Ways to Serve “ATORA” Pudding No 2.

• With Sauce: Steam the pudding without jam,etc. When cooked serve with one of the sauces in Section VIII.
• As a Roll. Form the pudding mixture into a roll. Dip pudding cloth in boiling water, flour well, then put the roll in this, tying each end firmly, and place in steamer. If no steamer available place in boiling water with sufficient water to keep the roll floating in pan. Serve with hot jam, syrup, fruit puree or lemon curd.
• Jam or Syrup Pudding. Put approximately 3 tablespoons jam or syrup at bottom of the pudding basin before cooking.
• Golden Cup Pudding. Add a tablespoon golden syrup to ingredients before stirring in water, and put syrup at bottom of basin before cooking.
• Layer Puddings. Divide the pudding mixture into four rounds – roll out thinly, each one a little larger than the other – so that the smallest is the size of the bottom of the basin. Grease basin. Put in a layer of jam, then a round of pudding mixture. Fill basin like this, ending with pudding mixture. Try also Mincemeat Layer Pudding – using homemade mincemeat recipe on page 20.

Bread Pudding No 1

6 ozs stale bread. 1½ ozs “ATORA”. 2-3 ozs dried fruit. 1½ ozs sugar. Little nutmeg or ginger or allspice to flavour. 1 egg and little milk to moisten.

Bread Pudding No 2.

A richer recipe. 4 ozs stale breadcrumbs. 2 ozs flour (with plain flour use ½ teaspoon baking powder). 2 ozs “ATORA”. 2 ozs currants. 2 ozs raisins. 2 ozs sugar. ½-1 oz candied lemon peel. 1 egg. ¼ teaspoonful each of cinnamon and allspice. 2/3rds teacup milk.

Brown Bread Pudding

Use same recipe as for Bread Pudding No 2, but substitute brown bread crumbs and add an extra ounce of sugar and an extra ounce of “ATORA”.

Chocolate Pudding

4 ozs flour (with plain flour use 1 teaspoon baking powder). ½ oz cocoa or 1 oz chocolate powder. 1½ ozs sugar. Pinch salt. 2 ozs “ATORA”. 1½ teacups milk. *See introduction, page 11.

Chocolate and Coffee Pudding

Use same recipe as for Chocolate Pudding, but mix with moderately strong coffee instead of milk. Most people will like a little extra sugar in the mixture.

Coconut Pudding

4 ozs breadcrumbs. 2 ozs “ATORA”. 2 good tablespoons dessicated coconut. 1 egg. 2 ozs sugar. ¼ pint milk.

Dried Fruit Puddings. 

By following this basic recipe and using dried fruit as preferred, you can make a variety of puddings. Some of the recipes given below may be new to you. 3 ozs flour (with plain flour use ¾ teaspoon baking powder). 3 ozs breadcrumbs. 3 ozs “ATORA”. 2-3 ozs sugar. Pinch salt. Milk to mix.  Serve with custard or other sauces on page 41.

• Currant Pudding. Add 3 ozs currants to the above ingredients, then make to a sticky mixture with milk.
• Dried Apricot. Add 3 ozs chopped dried apricots to pudding mixture. It is advisable to cut the apricots in small pieces, soak over-night or several hours in about ½ teacup water. Both fruit and juice should be added to the mixture, then just enough milk added to bind mixture.
• Date. Instead of currants use chopped dates in the mixture. Because these are so sweet some sugar can be omitted.
• Fig. Add 1 small grated apple and 4 ozs finely chopped figs to mixture.
• Prune. Soak 3-4 ozs prunes in ½ teacup water over-night or for several hours. Remove stones and chop finely, then add with juice to pudding mixture. Stir in just enough milk to make sticky mixture.
• Cup Currant Puddings. These puddings – as all the recipes in this book – can be cooked in small basins or cups. Allow 40-45 minutes steaming.

Twenty Five Minutes Fresh Fruit Pudding

A special quick recipe for home cooking, and very useful for camp and picnic cooking. 4 ozs flour (with plain flour use 1 teaspoon baking powder). 2 ozs “ATORA”. Pinch salt. Water or milk to mix.

Fresh Fruit Puddings

First prepare suet crust using this recipe:  6 ozs flour (with plain flour use 1 teaspoon baking powder). 3 ozs “ATORA”. Pinch salt. Water to mix.

• For Spring. Rhubarb, or Rhubarb and Orange, or Rhubarb and Dried Fig. The rhubarb can be cut into neat pieces. If using orange add the finely grated outerpeel and chopped sections of orange. (One large orange to 1 lb rhubarb). Allow about 4 ozs chopped figs to 1 lb rhubarb.
• In Summer. Blackcurrants, Gooseberries, Cherries. Mixture of all Summer fruits.
• In Autumn. Blackberry and Apple, Damsons, Plums, Greengage, Quinces and Apples.
• In Winter. Apples or Toffee Apple Pudding as following recipe: Grease the pudding basin well, then press about 2 ozs brown sugar on to the sides of the basin. Line with crust in the usual way and add sliced apples, sweetening these lightly, because of the brown sugar on the crust. When the pudding is turned out you will have a Toffee Sauce coating the outside.
• Brigade Pudding (Apple and Mincemeat). Line the basin with Suet Crust then a layer of thinly sliced apple, then of fine breadcrumbs, then mincemeat. Continue to fill the basin in this way, cover with crust and cook in usual way.

Gingerbread Pudding

2 ozs flour (with plain flour use ½ teaspoon baking powder). 2 ozs fine oatmeal. Pinch salt. 2 ozs “ATORA”. ½ teaspoon ground ginger. ½ teacup golden syrup. 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda. ½ teacup milk.

Ginger Pudding. 

Use same recipe as for Gingerbread pudding, but 4 ozs flour (with plain flour add 1 teaspoon baking powder) and NO oatmeal. About 4 ozs chopped dates can be added if desired.

Ginger Golden Cup Pudding.

Use same recipe as the Ginger Pudding on previous page and put a good tablespoon golden syrup at bottom of greased basin.

Golden Pudding. 

6 ozs flour (with plain flour add a large teaspoon baking powder). Pinch of salt. 4 ozs stoned raisins. 3 ozs “ATORA”. 4 ozs golden syrup. 2½-3 tablespoons milk.

Jubilee Pudding.

2 ozs flour (with plain flour use 1 teaspoon baking powder). 2 ozs ground rice. 2 ozs “ATORA”. 2 ozs sugar. Pinch salt. 3 ozs dried fruit – currants, sultanas, chopped dried figs or mixture of fruits. 1 egg. ½ gill milk. Note. In view of the small quantity of flour it is an improvement if ½ teaspoon baking powder is added with self-raising flour.

Llanberis Pudding. 

This is a particularly light and attractive pudding. 4 ozs flour (with plain flour use ½ teaspoon baking powder). 2 ozs sugar. 2 ozs “ATORA”. 2 tablespoons strawberry jam. 1 egg. 1 dessertspoon milk.

Orange or Lemon Pudding.

2 ozs breadcrumbs. 2 ozs flour (with plain flour use 1 teaspoon baking powder – or, if possible, add ½ teaspoon baking powder to self-raising flour). 2-3 ozs “ATORA”. 2-3 ozs sugar. 1 oz candied orange peel. Grated rind and juice of 2 small oranges. 1 egg. When using lemons it is advisable to use the larger quantity of sugar.

Pound Pudding

A rich pudding for special occasions, or as an alternative to Christmas pudding. 2 ozs flour (with plain flour use ½ teaspoon baking powder). 2 ozs breadcrumbs. 4 ozs raisins. 4 ozs currants. 2 ozs “ATORA”. ½ oz candied peel. 1 good teaspoon ground almonds. 1 egg. 4 tablespoons milk.

Puddings With Jam, Etc

You can make a number of delicious puddings flavoured and sweetened with jam or marmalade. Here is the basic recipe, with one or two suggestions. Probably you will try other flavours for yourself.  1 teacup flour (either plain or self raising). 1 teacup breadcrumbs. 1 teacup “ATORA”. ¾ teacup milk. ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda. 1 teacup jam or marmalade.

• Black and White Pudding. Use blackcurrant jam – which gives a rich flavour and attractive appearance.
• Mixed Marmalade. Use ½ teacup lemon marmalade and ½ teacup orange marmalade. Serve with lemon sauce

Roly Poly Puddings

Probably no other “ATORA” pudding has more devoted followers than a Roly Poly. The pudding can be filled with a variety of ingredients for which we give a number of suggestions.  For the crust: Follow recipe under Fresh Fruit puddings on page 15. For fillings try: Jam, Marmalade, Golden Syrup, Treacle, Lemon Curd, Mincemeat. Fill also with thinly sliced fruit. Try apples with mincemeat. Oranges (removing skin and pith), sweetening with brown sugar or honey. Serve the puddings with suitable sauces – see Section VIII.

Rhubarb Brown Betty Pudding

4 ozs breadcrumbs. 2 ozs “ATORA”. 2 ozs sugar. 1 lb rhubarb. ½ teacup water. 2 good tablespoons golden syrup.

Sago Fruit Pudding

2 ozs small sago. ¼ pint water. 3 ozs breadcrumbs. 3 ozs dried fruit, such as currants, sultanas, figs, dates. 1 oz “ATORA”. 1-2 ozs sugar. ½ teacup milk. Good pinch bicarbonate of soda.  Soak sago overnight in the water.  This is a particularly light pudding.

Spiced Pudding

For those people who like a pudding with plenty of flavour use the Gingerbread Pudding recipe (page 15), but allow 4 ozs flour and no oatmeal. Add ½ teaspoon Allspice, ½ teaspoon Cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg. Stir in also 1 or 2 oz candied peel. Serve with custard or rum sauce.

Spanish Pudding.

(ground rice with apricots). 4 ozs ground rice. 3 ozs “ATORA”. 3 ozs sugar. ½ teaspoon baking powder. 1 egg. Pinch salt. 4 ozs dried apricots. Put the apricots to soak over-night in enough cold water to cover. Next day pour off the water) retaining this for sauce).

Syrup Sponge Pudding

(with egg). 4 ozs breadcrumbs. 2 ozs “ATORA”. 1½ teacups golden syrup. Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon. 1 egg.

Syrup Sponge Pudding 

(without egg). 4 ozs flour (with plain flour add 1 teaspoon baking powder). ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda. 2 ozs “ATORA”. 3 ozs warmed golden syrup. 1 teaspoon milk.

“ATORA” Pudding Fritters

While most housewives cater to have as little food left as possible, there are occasions when, due perhaps to a member of the family being away, etc, some pudding may be left. To make a change the next day, cut this into slices and dip either in a little beaten egg and crisp breadcrumbs or a thick batter. Fry until crisp and golden brown.

You may however like to know that you can re-steam your “ATORA” puddings again if necessary, without ill-effect.

^E&OE