An easier, speedier version of the classic school dinner dessert, with no steaming required. We've served this traybake with our ultimate vanilla custard, which is much simpler to make than you'd think. If you want a more hands-off pud, serve with shop-bought custard or good-quality vanilla ice cream.
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Yields:
8 serving(s)
Prep Time:
25 mins
Cook Time:
40 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 5 mins
Cal/Serv:
749
Ingredients
For the sponge
200g
butter, softened, plus extra to grease
250g
golden syrup
finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon
200g
light brown soft sugar
4
medium eggs, beaten
200g
self-raising flour
1tsp.
ground ginger
100ml
milk
For the ultimate custard
400ml
milk
200ml
double cream, see GH TIP
3
medium egg yolks
75g
caster sugar
2 1/2tbsp cornflour
1tsp.
vanilla bean paste
Directions
Step 1Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 and grease a rough 2 litre ovenproof serving dish (ours was about 25 x 30cm). For the sponge, add the golden syrup and lemon zest and juice to the dish and mix to cover the base.
Step 2Using a freestanding mixer or a handheld electric whisk and a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs. If the mixture looks as if it might curdle, beat in 1tbsp of the flour. Add the (remaining) flour and ginger and fold in using a large metal spoon. Fold in the milk.
Step 3Scrape batter into the prepared dish and smooth to level. Bake for 35-40min, or until golden and springy to the touch.
Step 4Meanwhile, make the custard. In a large pan, heat the milk and cream until steaming. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar and cornflour until combined. Gradually pour in the hot milk mixture, whisking constantly.
Step 5Return mixture to the empty pan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened (it will need to bubble). Remove pan from the heat and whisk in the vanilla. If not serving immediately, cover surface with baking parchment or clingfilm to stop a skin forming.
Step 6Serve the sponge pudding with the warm, ultimate custard.
GH TIP: The cream in the custard gives a rich and luxurious finish, but you can replace it with more milk, if you prefer.
An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
