Click on the image, above to submit to Pinterest.

Suet Crust for Pies and Puddings

Suet Crust for Pies and Puddings is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic version of a suet crust pastry that an be used for pies (both sweet an savoury) and puddings. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Suet Crust for Pies and Puddings.

prep time

10 minutes

cook time

10 minutes

Total Time:

20 minutes

Additional Time:

(+20 minutes chilling)

Serves:

8–10

Rating:

Tags : Baking RecipesBritish Recipes

This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook. This is a classic starter recipe, that forms the pastry base for other dishes.

Original Recipe

1215. INGREDIENTS — To every lb. of flour allow 5 or 6 oz. of beef suet, 1/2 pint of water.

Mode.–Free the suet from skin and shreds; chop it extremely fine, and rub it well into the flour; work the whole to a smooth paste with the above proportion of water; roll it out, and it is ready for use. This crust is quite rich enough for ordinary purposes, but when a better one is desired, use from 1/2 to 3/4 lb. of suet to every lb. of flour. Some cooks, for rich crusts, pound the suet in a mortar, with a small quantity of butter. It should then be laid on the paste in small pieces, the same as for puff—crust, and will be found exceedingly nice for hot tarts. 5 oz. of suet to every lb. of flour will make a very good crust; and even 1/4 lb. will answer very well for children, or where the crust is wanted very plain.

Average cost, 5d. per lb.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

450g plain flour
290ml cold water (about)
150g to 170g shredded suet

Method:

Chop the suet very finely then combine with the flour in a bowl and rub with your fingertips to combine. Add just enough water to bring the mixture together as a firm dough. Bring together as a ball, cover with clingfilm and refrigerate for 20 minutes before turning out onto a lightly-floured work surface and rolling out.

This is a general purpose suet crust. For a richer pastry use between 230g and 340g suet per 450g of plain flour. For an even richer crust pound the suet in a mortar with 2 tbsp butter then form a pastry with the flour and water. Chill this, roll it out then dot the surface with the suet and butter mix. Fold the pastry in half and roll out then add more of the suet mix, fold over and roll out again. Perform this operation four times, as you would for puff pastry.

This gives a suet crust that's especially suited for hot tarts or sweet boiled puddings.

Find more Mrs Beeton Recipes Hereand more Traditional Victorian Recipes Here