Treacle Sponge

  Posted on July 20, 2011  by Leslie Blythe  No comments

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and the sticky mess….

A treacle sponge pudding is a traditional British dessert dish consisting of a steamed sponge cake with golden syrup cooked on top of it, sometimes also poured over it and often served with hot custard.

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers were having dinner at an expensive New York restaurant. It was the place to be seen and both had dressed for the occasion. Ginger was resplendent in a ball gown and diamond tiara while Fred wore his smartest morning suit. But the evening was marred when the waiter bringing their desserts tripped and covered Fred from head to toe in treacle sponge.

‘I’m terribly sorry’ said the waiter.
You should be’ replied Fred ‘Thanks to you I’ve got pudding on my top hat, pudding on my white tie, pudding on my tails.’

Treacle Sponge

Serves 6

6 overloaded, oozing Tbs golden syrup
1 stick of butter, plus extra for the dish
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ tsp vanilla
1 cup self-raising flour
Custard, to serve

Butter a 1-litre baking dish, and dollop the syrup in the bottom. Put the butter and sugar in a food processor and blitz until pale. Beat in the eggs one by one, then the vanilla. Add the flour and pulse until just mixed. Scrape into the dish, on top of the syrup.

Bake in the oven at 350˚ for 30 minutes until risen and golden. Serve with lashings of custard.