Traditional British Dessert: Steamed Jam Roly-Poly Recipe

Jam Roly-Poly is an old British pudding from the 1800s.

The British have a fun way of naming their food, often inspired by how it looks or how it’s made. I’d love to share this pudding called Jam Roly-Poly, and once you see it, you’ll understand why it got that name.

It’s made by spreading jam over soft suet pastry, rolling it up, and then steaming or baking it. Traditionally, it was steamed in a cloth or an old shirt sleeve, earning a funny nickname, "shirt-sleeve pudding".

This was once a cheap and filling dessert loved by families and often served in school dinners. Usually enjoyed warm with custard, it remains a much-loved British comfort food.

Traditional Steamed Jam Roly-Poly

Ingredients:

200g (1⅔ cups) self-raising flour

100g (7 tbsp) shredded suet (beef or vegetarian)

1 tbsp caster sugar (optional)

Pinch of salt

~150ml (⅔ cup) cold water

5–6 tbsp jam (either raspberry, strawberry, blackberries or your preference)

Butter (for greasing)

A clean tea towel or pudding cloth

String or kitchen twine

Baking parchment and foil (optional, for modern method)

Make the dough:

Mix the flour, suet, salt, and sugar (if using).

water added.

It will be a bit lumpy, that is ok.

Just enough that they hold together into a ball.

Gradually add water until you get a soft, manageable dough. Don’t overwork it.

Roll it out:

Dough on floured surface.

Add more flour on top to avoid sticking when rolled.

Gently roll.

Generous flour made it easier to work.

On a floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 20 x 30 cm (8 x 12 in).

Spread the jam:

Blackberry jam from last summer.

This is so fun!

Leave a 1–2 cm (½ inch) border around the edge. Don’t go too thick, or it will ooze out.

Roll it up:

Use dough scraper if it some parts underneath are stuck to keep the dough intact.

Carefully roll from the short end like a Swiss roll.

Pinch the ends closed.

To Steam (Cloth Method - Traditional):

Prepare cloth:

Generously sprinkling flour

Scald a clean tea towel or pudding cloth with boiling water, wring it out, then flour it generously to prevent sticking

Wrap & tie:

Rolling gently and loosely

I used twine to tie.

Place the roll seam-side down on the cloth. Roll it up loosely, tuck in the ends, and tie securely with string, leaving room for expansion.

Steam:

Place in a large steamer or over a pan of gently simmering water (the water should not touch the pudding).

🥄 To Serve:

Undo the tie carefully.

Some of the surface peeled off as it stuck to the cloth, but it's okay. Unwrap carefully.

Nice heavy sponge.

Slice into thick pieces.

Serve:

This jam rolly-polly is delicious sitting on a hot custard.

The suet pastry is soft and comforting, and the jam is just the right amount and not overpowering.

Served with hot custard, fresh berries, and mint for freshness. Sprinkled with icing sugar.

Moist and tender from the steaming but densed, almost melting on the tongue. Satisfying.

Try to make it and enjoy it too!

Have a lovely day!

Mariah 😊💗