Monday, April 21, 2014

R is for Robin and Roly Poly Pudding

R
Of course when I think of a robin, I think of the English Robin even though I have now lived loeurorobinnger on the North American continent than I ever lived in the UK. The English Robin, a member of the flycatcher family, is the national bird of the UK and very much beloved by everyone. It is in fact not confined to England and can be found all over Europe. It is famous for its song and for its chirpy behaviour often perching on American Robinspade handles when people are digging waiting for worms to be brought forth. However, they can be very aggressive and territorial. Then we have the American Robin which also has a lovely song and is the harbinger of spring. It is not related to the English Robin but is a member of the thrush family. It was named Robin because of its similarly coloured breast. I remember first becoming aware of them when we had a rain storm and shortly after the air was filled with the song of robins.

I had to Roly Poly 2include this pudding, it is so very English. This is a very simple recipe by Nigella as opposed to the traditional ones which are made and boiled and which bring back memories of English childhoods. It doesn’t even look like a roly poly pudding about which pictures have been drawn and poems written. Read the Tale of Samuel Whiskers from Gutenberg books. Nigella’s version uses Lyle Golden Syrup. Once again, traditionally they are Jam Roly Polys.

 

Roly Poly Pudding

Nigella Lawson
Serves 4.

Roly Poly Pudding
I feel better just contemplating this. You get the comfort of a syrup pudding steamed for many, many hours in 30 minutes. And you do practically nothing to make it: roll out half a 375g packet of good shop-bought pastry, ooze golden syrup over it, roll it up like a swiss roll and bung it in a dish, throwing over some milk before putting it in the oven.

You can eat it with either cream or ice cream: whatever, it is perfect Sunday lunch pudding, though there is a good case for making it any day of the week.
  • 1 x 6 oz slab shop-bought shortcrust pastry (thawed, if frozen)
  • ¾ cup golden syrup or light corn syrup
  • ½ cup whole milk

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6/400ºF. Roll out the pastry to a size about 18 x 32.5cm / 7 x 13 inches.
  2. Pour the golden syrup or light corn syrup onto the pastry, leaving a 2cm / ¾ inch margin around the edge.
  3. With a buttered oval gratin dish (28cm / 11 inches long) at the ready, roll up the pastry from the short side into a fat sausage shape.
  4. Transfer to the dish, putting the seam underneath, and pour half of the milk down one side of the roly-poly and half down the other side.
  5. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Have a great day
Jo (2)

34 comments:

  1. Hmmm. I have some Lyle's in the pantry. This sounds yummy. I need no alarm clock here. The robins wake me up every morning.

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    1. Unusual for anyone in the US to have some Lyle's Golden Syrup. Used to love the stuff as a kid.

      Birds make good alarm clocks don't they?

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  2. Hi Jo - the sea level rose! Love roly poly puddings ... particularly the golden syrup ones - I've a friend who occasionally makes it .. but I suspect now we both probably make something less deliciously gungie! Like fruit salad .. better for our waist lines.

    The robins are surprisingly different aren't they .. but I guess the early settlers called them robins from their red-breasts .. reminding them of home ... though as here they are patently different. They are now bobbing around as the warmer weather takes hold and the insects are hatching ...

    Cheers Hilary

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    1. Didn't think of that. I don't remember the last time I ate roly poly or suet puddings. Don't even make steak and kidney pudding any more. Waistlines once again.

      Yes, robins are bobbing around here too. I was thrilled to see my first one this year as they are a definite harbinger of spring and boy do we need spring here.

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  3. Several robins visit us; after a time you can distinguish between them and those that come to the front garden never venture into the the back, and vice versa.

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    1. Very territorial. If you recognise them do you name them?

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  4. I've seen robins all winter long so I don't know if they are year round now or what! That pudding sounds great.

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    1. Can't remember what State you are in JoJo they might well be permanent if you are fairly warm.

      It is a good pud if you aren't watching your weight.

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  5. I have no idea what Lyle's is...but the pudding looks yummy! (http://www.reflectionsenroute.com)

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    1. It's an English syrup. It's good on similar desserts.

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  6. Robins like to chase after my lawn mower. I guess I'm churning up some good bugs for them.

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    1. I can just see you with a flock of robins following you around.

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  7. The Robins come in in flocks here and are usually here in late February early March. I felt so sorry for them this year. Not enough food. I love to watch them in the yard or the fields.

    Never tried roly poly. Looks good though. :-)

    Sia McKye Over Coffee

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    1. Hope they didn't suffer too much for lack of food.

      You should Sia, it is good.

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  8. Beautiiful birds! Yes, that recipe IS very English. I'll never forget visiting in 2006--we stayed with my stepdad's friends. They passed around dessert and it was unsweetened apple pie. Then they handed us all cream and we poured it over our dessert. I asked if they'd ever heard of whipped topping--we do that over here in the States. It's a whipped version of the same thing that doesn't make the pie soggy. But, now that I'm back, I see several dishes we do where we employ the same principal. Mexican restaurants do a cake that is a shortcake with cream poured over it.

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    1. Probably not unsweetened, made with cooking apples (unavailable in North America) and then not oversweetened as it is (to me anyway) over here. Also we don't use cinnamon we use cloves usually. A taste I prefer. I am surprised the cream wasn't whipped. It should have been a much thicker cream that you are used to as well.

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    2. It was definitely thicker. Just such a surprise! I was so glad to be able to stay with an English family while there so I could really get a view of England as those who live there see it. How many Americans get that experience? Not many! I even got to attend an English wedding! Chance of a lifetime.

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    3. English cream is one of the things I really miss since emigrating. That was lucky, to go to a wedding. I can't remember, did you find it very different?

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    4. The only thing that was really different was that they sign the marriage certificates at the end of the ceremony with everyone there. There was a whole ceremony to that part of it. And I think some official was there to take them? The certificates here are just signed and handed off behind the scenes! Oh...and it was in the English countryside so it was this amazingly beautiful place...and we got to spend the night there! I watched Big Brother UK for the first time...which was really different from our Big Brother (my favorite show here).

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    5. In view of how long it is since I was married, I can't remember. The English countryside can be really beautiful.

      Never seen Big Brother. Don't watch TV that much.

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  9. Hi, Jo,

    Robins are one of my favorite birds, (American) But the British Robin is darling. So pretty. I hope to catch a glimpse of one the next time I visit the UK.

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    1. When you go, visit someone's garden and borrow their spade, you should see them then.

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  10. Love the name of the pudding and a bit of the history behind it. We never see flocks of Robins, just a few, have not seen one yet this year, but I did see a Blue Bird back, sitting on his special house that the Boy Scouts here in Castle Pines built, As their project, they built BB houses all over the golf course.

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    1. We had Bluebirds nesting in our back yard in NC.

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  11. They sure do have a nice song. That pudding looks incredible. I am a fan of hot deserts with ice-cream.

    Brandon Ax: Writer's Storm

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    1. You're right, they do have a pretty song.

      Ice cream or fresh cream, I prefer the latter.

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  12. Hi human, Jo,

    I have seen plenty of beautiful little Robins in our English country garden. They look so pretty with their red breasts.

    My human loves Roly Poly pudding and Nigella. He also loves Spotted Dick, but that's another story :)

    Pawsitive wishes,

    Penny the friendly host of the Alphabark Challenge! :)

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    1. Dear Penny, I am pawsitive you are well behaved enough not to chase them.

      I prefer treacle pudding to Spotted Dick.

      Wishing you a barking good day.

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  13. I'm sure Jo that no matter how long you live in another country, you'll still fondly remember many things from 'home'. Cute little robins. I love roly poly, but of course never eat it or I might turn into a roly poly. A beautiful, comforting winter dessert. Thanks for the memories!!

    I've got my cooking mojo back. Cooked Portugese Custard Tarts and Banana Bread all over Easter. Yummo.

    Denise

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    1. Definitely. There are a number of foods I miss from England.

      Roly Poly doesn't feature on my table either, for the same reason.

      Like the sound of Portuguese Custard Tarts - got a recipe?

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  14. Which one is called the red breasted robin, I wonder? I've heard that more often than not when bird watchers are out looking for birds.

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    1. Robin red breast is the English robin. Because of that when settlers first came to the Americas and saw a thrush with a red breast, they called it a robin too.

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  15. I think of the poem Cock Robin or the Robin in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. As for Roly Poly Pudding... I love anything with golden syrup in it.

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  16. Who killed Cock Robin? Only robin in LWW I can think of was outside Mr. Tumnus' wrecked abode, is that right?

    So do I but my figure doesn't.

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