Instructions

1. Start by greasing a 1.2 litre pudding basin with butter. This ensures that the pudding can be easily removed once it's cooked.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the suet, self-raising flour, caster sugar, currants, and lemon zest. Stir these ingredients until they are well combined.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the milk and egg. Once whisked, add this mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until the mixture is well combined and forms a thick batter.
4. Transfer the pudding batter into the greased pudding basin, smoothing the top with a spatula.
5. Cover the basin with a layer of greaseproof paper, then add a layer of foil over the paper. Both layers should be pleated in the middle to allow for expansion during cooking.
6. Secure the paper and foil layers with a length of string tied around the rim of the basin.
7. Place the prepared pudding basin in a large saucepan. Fill the saucepan with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the basin.
8. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let the pudding simmer for about 1.5 hours. Be sure to check the water level occasionally and top up as necessary.
9. Once the pudding is cooked, carefully remove the basin from the saucepan. Let it cool for a few minutes before turning it out onto a serving plate.
10. Serve the Spotted Dick warm, generously topped with custard.