Making Mrs Beaver's Gloriously Sticky Marmalade Roly-Poly

Well, this is a triumph and a half! Roly-poly is a revelation. And a keeper!

Andy loves it! I love it! Andy's parents love it! Roly-poly - YAYYEEEE!

Ahem. We like Poly-poly. Who knew it was so so delicious, and so easy?

If you make scones or dumplings a lot you know how quick and easy they are to put together, and roly poly is no different, except for its inclusion of suet rather than butter.


 
I made this rolypoly last Sunday just after we all got in from a leg-stretchingly wonderful wintry walk in the late afternoon sunshine, taking a loop round the lanes and fields outside of our town, looking down on it from the fresh perspective of clean air, jolly white clouds against a blue sky, slanting shadows and russet sun soaking into all the hedges, leaves, twigs and rutted fields. When we tramped back through the door, everyone slumped into the sofas and I used my last bit of energy to get the roly-poly in the oven before crashing out with my favourite blanket and a cuppa.

I'm very glad that I happened to find out earlier that day that Diana, Andy's lovely Mum, doesn't like Marmalade. Once I'd made the dough I rolled it out to an A4 rectangle and spread three quarters of it with Marmalade and the remaining quarter with our homemade Damson jam, which is really tangy and flavoursome. I was going to mark which end was which but forgot, but it was fairly evident when it came out of the oven!

Once it was all rolled up it was very tricksy to get off the table and onto the baking tray so next time I will roll it out on the baking paper to transfer without such risk. I was supposed to brush the whole beast with milk but forgot - no wonder the brown sugar wouldn't stay on the top! Wally.  Got it on evenutally, and hopefully will remember next time.

It baked to perfection and came out all golden and bulging and sticky. We served it with hot custard and everyone fought over the remnants of Damson jam after Diana had received her portion. Andy devoured his with glee and I was so delighted to see him enjoying it so much. Andy doesn't always get very excited about pudding and neither of us had ever had a jam roly-poly before. He kept talking about it and saying how much he'd loved it, so it's already a firm favourite with us. The soft dough with the crunchy sugar top and the tangy jam, along with the sweet custard was sure to be a cosy warming pudding, and eaten by the fire, we were glad that we'd already had our expedition and didn't have to suddenly rush out of the door like the Beavers and Pevensie children, fleeing for their lives before the White Witch stormed their home.

I'll be sure to always have suet in the cupboard now,  for when the fancy takes us.  I love making jam, but never eat it as much as I think I will. I think jam has found its place in our kitchen now as a great cooking ingredient, more so than having it for jam's sake.

So here's to Mrs Beaver, and her wonderful cosy, sticky, roly-poly pudding. I urge you to bake one and enjoy it for yourself.