Jam Roly-Poly

Name: Jam Roly-Poly
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 140 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 50g Butter; 250g Self-raising Flour; 1 small Vanilla; 50g Suet; 150ml Milk; 100g Raspberry Jam; to serve Custard

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Serves 4 501 kcal per serving Prep 20 min Cook 2 h

Ingredients

50g Butter
250g Self-raising Flour
1 small Vanilla
50g Suet
150ml Milk
100g Raspberry Jam
to serve Custard

Instructions

Place a deep roasting tin on the bottom shelf of the oven and make sure there is another rack positioned directly above it. Carefully pull the tin forward, fill it about two-thirds full with boiling water, then slide it back into place. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 4). Prepare a large sheet of foil and a sheet of baking parchment, roughly 30 x 40 cm. Lay the parchment on top of the foil and grease it with butter.
Add the butter, self-raising flour and vanilla seeds to a food processor and pulse until the butter is fully incorporated into the flour. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in the suet, then pour in the milk and bring everything together using a knife or spoon to form a soft, slightly sticky dough. Add a little more milk if needed, depending on the flour.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, quickly bring it together and roll it out into a square about 25 x 25 cm. Spread the jam evenly over the surface, leaving a clear strip along one edge. Roll the dough up from the opposite side, then pinch the jam-free edge into the dough to seal. Lightly press the ends to close them. Carefully transfer the roll onto the prepared parchment, seam-side down (a flat baking tray can help with lifting). Loosely wrap the parchment and foil around the pudding, sealing the edges and ends without tightening, as it will expand during cooking.
Place the wrapped pudding directly onto the rack above the tin of water and cook in the oven for 1 hour, allowing it to steam.
Leave the pudding to rest for about 5 minutes, then carefully unwrap it. Slice thickly and serve hot with custard.

Tips

Roll the suet pastry gently to avoid overworking it, which can make the pudding heavy and tough.
Leave a border around the edges when spreading the jam to prevent it from leaking out during steaming.
If baking instead of steaming, wrap the roll loosely in parchment paper and foil to keep the moisture in.

Variations

Spotted Roly Poly: Add a handful of currants to the pastry dough before rolling.
Golden Syrup: Use golden syrup instead of jam for a different kind of traditional sweetness.