Sussex pond pudding - flour

Method

• Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the shredded suet.
• Stir in the milk and water to make a soft dough.
• Cut a quarter of the dough off for the lid and set side.
• Butter a 1 litre (13/4pt) pudding basin.
• Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the dough to make a 30cm (12in) wide circle.
• Press the dough into the basin to neatly cover the base and sides.
• Place half the butter and sugar into the basin.
• Prick the lemon all over with a needle or skewer and nestle on top of the sugar.
• Cover with the remaining butter and sugar.
• Roll out the remaining pastry to make a 12cm (43/4in) wide circle and lay over the filling.
• Pinch the sides together to seal.
• Lay a large sheet of baking parchment on your work surface and cover with a larger sheet of foil.
• Pinch a 5cm (2in) pleat up out of the middle and fold over (the pleat means the paper and foil can expand as the pudding steams).
• Cover the basin with the paper and foil, paper-side-down, and tie onto the pudding with string.
• Trim any excess paper and foil.
• Tie a string handle onto the basin.
• Place a saucer in the bottom of a large pan and put the pudding on top of it.
• Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the basin.
• Cover with a lid and gently boil for 31/2 hours.
• If the water gets low, pour in more boiling water.
• To serve, lift the pudding from the pan and remove the foil and paper.
• Run a palette knife around the edge of the pudding.
• Place a serving plate over the bottom of the basin and quickly turn them both upside down.
• Give the basin a very gentle shake to help ease the pudding out.
• Serve immediately.