Regula Ysewijn’s passion for English Pudding both savoury and sweet has been lovingly captured in a new book Pride and Pudding.  Regula aka Miss Foodwise researched, wrote and photographed a book that will be one of my go-to reference books for years to come.  It’s a book you read, hold, page mark and admire in your hands as well as on the shelf.  It’s a keeper.

Jamie Oliver says of Pride and Pudding ‘A truly wonderful thing of beauty, a very tasty masterpiece!’

I was lucky enough to recipe test for Regula’s new book and have followed her enthusiasm for all things English for some time so thought the best way to embrace the Englishness of her book was cook one of her recipes at the beach hut in the freezing cold.

I made College Puddings which are a suet based pancake come scone which is richly fruited and full of spice.  We could have easily eaten double.

College Puddings (makes 10) by Regula Ysewijn

100g fresh breadcrumbs

50 shredded suet

50g raw sugar

half a teaspoon ground nutmeg

a pinch of salt

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons sherry or maderia

10g raisins, soaked in brandy, drained

1 teaspoon candied lemon peel

clarified butter, to fry

icing sugar, for dusting

in a bowl combine the breadcrumbs, suet, sugar, nutmeg and salt.  Add the eggs and sherry and knead into a thick dough.  Don’t be alarmed if it seems too dry at first: when you knead it the dough will come together.

Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.

Folding in the currants and candied peel shape the dough into balls the size of a golf ball, then flatten slightly like little burgers.

Melt a knob of clarified butter in a cast iron frying pan and fry the flattened dough balls in the butter until browned.

Serve as a side dish, or as a snack dusted with icing sugar.

Pride and Pudding is published by Murdoch books and out 7 April.