Here is our favourite selection of traditional puddings that our chefs make from scratch at The Horder Centre.

Served as an occasional treat, these puddings provide some comfort at an important time for our patients as they recover from surgery. 

Recipes on this page:

• Banoffee pie
• Apple and blackberry crumble
• Chocolate mousse
• Gooseberry fool
• Spotted dick
• Rice pudding

Never underestimate the power of a good pudding!

Banoffee pie (serves 8)

Ingredients:
250g Digestive biscuits
120g Melted butter
397g Nestlé Carnation caramel
300ml Double cream
3 Ripe Bananas, finely sliced

To serve:
Banana chips (optional)
Chocolate shavings

Method:

1. Crumble the biscuits into a blender and blitz until you have fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse again to combine.
2. Spoon the mixture evenly between 8 individual fluted, loose-bottomed tart tins (9cm). Alternatively, make one big Banoffee pie, using a 20cm fluted, loose-bottomed tart tin. Press the mixture in firmly – you can use a teaspoon for this - and refrigerate for at least half an hour.
3. Spread the caramel over the base of the tarts not quite to the edges. Arrange a layer of bananas on top of the caramel.
4. Whip the cream until it has just reached soft peaks. Dollop onto the tarts to give a pillowy effect.
5. Remove the tarts from the tins. Poke one banana chip into the centre of each tart and scatter with chocolate shavings.

Apple and blackberry crumble (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:
For the crumble topping

• 120g Plain flour
• 60g Caster sugar
• 60g Unsalted butter at room temperature, cut into pieces

For the fruit compote

• 300g Braeburn apple
• 30g Unsalted butter
• 30g Demerara sugar
• 115g Blackberries
• ¼ tsp Ground cinnamon

Method:

1. Heat oven to 180C. Tip 120g plain flour and 60g caster sugar into a large bowl.
2. Add 60g unsalted butter, then rub into the flour using your fingertips to make a light breadcrumb texture. Do not overwork it or the crumble will become heavy.
3. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until lightly coloured.
4. Meanwhile, for the compote, peel, core and cut 300g Braeburn apples into 2cm diced.
5. Put 30g unsalted butter and 30g Demerara sugar in a medium saucepan and melt together over medium heat. Cook for 3 minutes until the mixture turns to a light caramel.
6. Stir in the apples and cook for 3 mins. Add 115g blackberries and ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, and cook for 3 minutes more.
7. Cover, remove from the heat and then leave for 2-3 minutes to continue cooking in the warmth of the pan.
8. To serve, spoon the warm fruit into an ovenproof gratin dish, top with the crumble mix, then reheat in the oven for 5-10 minutes. 

Chocolate mousse (serves 8)

Ingredients:
225g Plain chocolate
15g Butter
3 Large eggs, separated
150ml Double cream, whipped

Method:

1. Measure the chocolate into a bowl and sit it over a pan of simmering water. Melt slowly and do not allow the chocolate to become too hot.
2. Stir in the butter, brandy and egg yolks one at a time and mix until combined. Set aside to cool a little.
3. Whip the egg whites until just stiff. Fold into the chocolate mixture with the whipped cream. Fold to combine.
4. Spoon into a glass bowl (1-litre capacity) or 6 stemmed glasses or ramekins. Transfer to the fridge to set.

Gooseberry fool (serves 4)

Ingredients:
250g Gooseberries, topped and tailed
3 tbsp caster sugar
200g Greek yogurt
24g Icing sugar
14ml Vanilla extract
200ml Double cream

Method:

1. Put the gooseberries and sugar in a pan with a splash of water. Heat gently, stirring, then bring to a simmer and cook until the fruit starts to burst. Squash the gooseberries with a potato masher or fork until pulpy. Cool then chill until cold in the fridge.
2. Put the yoghurt in a bowl and beat with the icing sugar and vanilla until smooth. Gently whisk in the cream (it will thicken as you whisk so don’t overdo it). Ripple through the gooseberry pulp then spoon into pretty glasses or bowls to serve.

Spotted dick (serves 6)

Ingredients:
250g Self-raising flour
A pinch of salt
125g Vegetable shredded suet
180g Currants
80g Caster sugar
Finely grated zest 1 lemon
Finely grated zest 1 small orange
172ml Semi-skimmed milk

Method: 

1. Put the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the suet, currants, sugar, lemon and orange zest.
2. Pour in 150ml milk and mix to a firm but moist dough, adding the extra milk if necessary.
3. Shape into a fat roll about 20cm long. Place on a large rectangle of baking parchment. Wrap loosely to allow for the pudding to rise and tie the ends with string like a Christmas cracker.
4. Place a steamer over a large pan of boiling water, add the pudding to the steamer, cover and steam for 1½ hours. Top up the pan with water from time to time.
5. Remove from the steamer and allow to cool slightly before unwrapping. Serve sliced with custard.

Rice pudding (serves 5)

Ingredients:
100g Pudding rice
50g Caster sugar
700ml Semi-skimmed milk
Pinch Grated nutmeg
A Bay leaf, or strip lemon zest

Method:

1. Heat oven to 150C.
2. Wash the rice and drain well.
3. Butter an 850ml heatproof baking dish, then tip in the rice and sugar and stir through the milk.
4. Sprinkle the nutmeg over and top with the bay leaf or lemon zest.
5. Cook for 2 hrs or until the pudding wobbles ever so slightly when shaken.