Soft scone-style dough, spread with apricot jam, rolled into a spiral and baked in a pool of sweet butter syrup: this is the Sunday pudding many South Africans grew up on, and it needs only pantry staples and about an hour.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Resting
- 10 min
- Total
- 1 hr 10 min
- Serves
- 6 to 8 servings
You will need Rectangular baking dish (about 30 x 20 cm) · Mixing bowl · Sieve · Rolling pin · Pastry brush · Small saucepan · Whisk
Ingredients
For the dough
For the filling
For the syrup
To finish
Method
Make the dough
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease a rectangular baking dish of about 30 x 20 cm with a little butter.
Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Rub in the 60 g cold butter with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.
Whisk the egg, milk and 1 tsp vanilla together, then pour into the flour mixture. Stir gently just until a soft dough comes together; do not knead it hard.
Fill and roll
Turn the dough onto a floured counter and roll it into a rectangle of about 28 x 25 cm, roughly 5 to 7 mm thick.
Brush the dough with the melted butter, then spread the 225 g apricot jam over it, leaving a 2 cm border all round. Dust with the cinnamon if you are using it.
Starting at one long side, roll the dough up loosely like a Swiss roll. Pinch the seam and the ends to seal in the jam, then lift it seam-side down into the dish.
Make the syrup
Put the water, sugar, 50 g butter and 2 tbsp apricot jam in a small saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Let it simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes, then take it off the heat and stir in 1 tsp vanilla and the lemon juice, if using.
Bake and serve
Pour the warm syrup into the dish around the roll rather than over the top.
Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes until puffed, golden and cooked through. If the top darkens too fast, lay a sheet of foil loosely over it.
Rest the pudding for 5 to 10 minutes so the syrup soaks in, then brush the top with the 2 tbsp warmed jam for a glossy finish.
Cut into thick slices to show the spiral, spoon some of the syrup from the dish over each one and serve hot with custard or cream.
Tips
- Smooth apricot jam spreads more evenly than chunky jam and gives a neater spiral.
- Roll the dough loosely so it has room to rise in the oven without splitting.
- A little finely grated orange zest stirred into the filling jam adds a fresh lift.
- Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for 2 days; warm portions in the microwave with a spoon of extra syrup.
Old-Fashioned Apricot Jam Roly-Poly: your questions answered
Can I make roly-poly pudding ahead of time?
You can assemble the roll a few hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then make the syrup and bake just before serving. It is at its best eaten warm from the oven.
Why did my jam leak out of the roll?
Usually the jam went right to the edges or the seam was not pinched closed. Leave a 2 cm border and seal the seam and ends firmly before baking.
Can I use a different jam?
Yes, strawberry, mixed berry or fig jam all work well. Use the same jam in the syrup and glaze so the flavours match.
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