14 aug

Gunnedah Pudding

Mrs R J Bennie, Gunnedah Branch

SERVES 8

250 g (about 8 slices) stale bread, chopped

1 tablespoon caster sugar

90 g (¼ cup) golden syrup

175 g shredded suet (see note)

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs, well beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Syrup Sauce

525 g (1½ cups) golden syrup

60 g (¼ cup) butter

125 ml (½ cup) water

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil for steaming, placing a small heatproof plate upside down in the water to keep the pudding basin off the base of the pan. Grease a 1.5 litre (6 cup) pudding basin.

Place the bread in a bowl and cover with cold water. Drain the bread well, squeezing out as much water as possible.

Combine the bread in a bowl with the sugar and syrup. Combine the suet and baking powder in a bowl, then stir into the bread mixture, adding the eggs and vanilla.

Spoon the batter into the basin, cover tightly and lower it into the boiling water. Steam for 3 hours, or until cooked through, adding more water to the pan as required.

For the sauce, combine the syrup and butter with the water in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, or until smooth. Reduce the heat and simmer until ready to serve.

Note: shredded suet is available as a packet mix at supermarkets, or fresh from your butcher.

Serve Gunnedah Pudding hot, topped with Syrup Sauce.