Spotted Dog Pudding Cake with Vanilla Custard

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Dessert

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8 people

½ cup butter, cut into chunks
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 large lemon
Zest of 1 orange
1 cup dried currants
Nonstick cooking spray
4 egg yolks
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream

Liberally spray the inside of the pudding mold with cooking spray, then pour in batter.
Seal the top with the lid.
If using a Bundt pan and foil, tightly fasten the foil to the pan with twine to make as air- and water- tight as possible.
Place the pudding mold on the rack in the pot.
If necessary, adjust the water level in the pot to rise just to halfway up the mold.
Cover the pot and bring water to a simmer over medium heat.
Cook undisturbed for 1 hour 30 minutes.
Carefully remove the pudding mold from the water - there will be a lot of steam.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the mold.
While the pudding is setting, prepare the vanilla custard.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla paste.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and cream.
Heat until the mixture just starts to simmer.
(Do not allow it to boil or it will curdle.)
Pour about ½ cup of the warm liquid into bowl with egg yolks, whisking quickly to prevent egg mixture from cooking.
Whisk for 1 minute to temper the egg yolk mixture.
Slowly whisk the contents of the bowl back into the saucepan.
Simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until the custard has thickened and on the verge of boiling.
(Caution: Prevent custard from boiling, which causes curdling and unappealing lumps.)
Invert the mold onto a plate.
Slice the cake, then top generously with custard.
Prepare the pudding.
Fill a large stockpot halfway with water.
In the bottom of the pot, place something to hold the pudding mold above the bottom of the pot.
(A small cooling rack works best, or you could use metal cookie cutters or an inverted ovenproof bowl.)
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the butter, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar until the mixture resembles sand.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the milk, vanilla, and zest.
Add the butter mixture, and stir until combined.
Stir in the currants.