The UK has a tradition of sweet bakes and hearty puddings, but they’re often overlooked in favour of the sugary delights of Europe and further afield. Ashleigh Arnott looks at why we’re so nostalgic about our trad puds, then Pollyanna Coupland takes a trip down memory lane, giving favourite desserts an update with new, why-didn’t-we-always-do-it-that-way flavour combos
RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING POLLYANNA COUPLAND PHOTOGRAPHS INDIA WHILEY-MORTON
Aperson’s woes can be cured by a bowl of crumble and custard. From the first warm, sweet, stodgy mouthful we feel less alone. A generous slice of jam roly poly is an edible cuddle, a bakewell tart makes troubles melt away. Why is it that the puddings we remember from our youth – the ones we scoffed at school, fought about at family dinners or even drooled over in the works of Enid Blyton – fill our emotional cup as well as filling our bellies?
The ‘gastrophysicist’ Charles Spence, a professor of experimental psychology at Oxford, suggests we’re seeking safety in every spoonful. “Childhood is when we’re looked after, and when we feel more emotionally threatened,” he explains. Being reminded of a favourite treat from our early years is “almost like emotional support that happens to be provided through food; it will reassure and comfort”.
A classic pud can also be a simple reminder that we’re cared for: “Warm things make us think the people around us are nicer.” Studies have shown that simply holding a hot cup of tea makes us feel more positive about our interactions. “It’s physical warmth translating to the social world.”
POWERFUL MEMORIES
Could that be why we remember school dinners so fondly when their quality often left a lot to be desired? “You’re craving the thing you want to go back to rather than the taste,” says Spence. That might well be the pleasure of eating hot pudding at lunchtime without a thought for your waistline.
The good news is that, when given a modern-day makeover, spotted dick is even more desirable than it was back when you watched Blue Peter. You can have your cake memories and eat them, too.
The new spiritual home of the trad dessert is probably the gastropub. You’d be unlucky to find one that doesn’t offer slabs of sticky toffee pudding. There’s an increasing number of top restaurants, too, where the sweet offering is likely to involve traditional puds – even ones with suet.
Chef Jeremy Lee is renowned for the puddings he serves at Quo Vadis in London’s Soho,
