The mulberry dates back to Tudor times and, happily, we have a beautiful old tree bursting with these lovely berries in the grounds of THE PIG-at Combe – no-one knows exactly how old it is, but it’s likely to be around 100. The fruit is somewhere between a raspberry and a blackberry and can vary in colour and sweetness. You rarely find them in the shops so you can use other berries instead to make this comforting classic.
Serves 4
Ingredients
(You’ll need 4 x 200ml pudding moulds)
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- 100g caster sugar
- 80g whole egg (2 small eggs), lightly beaten
- 100g self-raising flour
- 30ml buttermilk or double cream
- a little extra butter or vegetable oil
- 4 dessertspoons hedgerow jam, or similar
- 150g mulberries (or raspberries or blackberries)
- 20g caster sugar
Method
Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy in a KitchenAid or food mixer. Slowly add the egg, trying not to split the mix. If it starts to separate, add a little of the flour to bring it back before adding more egg.
Add the flour in four stages, beating slowly. Add the buttermilk or cream and finish mixing by hand.
Grease the moulds with butter or veg oil, place a dessertspoon of jam in the bottom of each mould, then fill to two-thirds of the way up with the sponge mix (using a piping bag is the easiest way!). Place in a steamer, cover the pan and cook for 30-35 minutes.
Put the berries in a small pan with a splash of water and the caster sugar, then gently heat to a simmer to soften the fruit.
Once the sponges have steamed, carefully turn out of their moulds and spoon the berries on top. Serve straight away with Bird’s custard – our favourite.
