
Jam Roly-Poly
Jam Roly-Poly is a classic British dessert that holds a distinguished place in traditional cooking. Celebrated for its wholesome ingredients and time-honored preparation, this dish brings authentic regional character to the home kitchen.
Carefully baked or prepared featuring Butter, Self-raising Flour, Vanilla, Suet, Milk, Raspberry Jam and Custard, the components balance delicate sweetness and satisfying texture.
Enjoy warm or chilled alongside fresh vanilla custard, whipped cream, or a freshly brewed cup of coffee or tea for a comforting finish to your meal.
If you enjoy authentic British cooking, be sure to also explore our recipe for Apple & Blackberry Crumble.
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Ingredients
- Butter50g
- Self-raising Flour250g
- Vanilla1 small
- Suet50g
- Milk150ml
- Raspberry Jam100g
- Custardto serve
Step-by-Step Instructions
16 stepsInteractive Cook Mode: Click any step or circle to check it off as you cook.
Put a deep roasting tin onto the bottom shelf of the oven, and make sure that there’s another shelf directly above it.
Pull the roasting tin out on its shelf, fill two-thirds with boiling water from the kettle, then carefully slide it back in.
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Tear off a large sheet of foil and greaseproof paper (about 30 x 40cm).
Sit the greaseproof on top of the foil and butter it.
Tip butter, flour and vanilla seeds into a food processor; pulse until the butter has disappeared.
Tip into a mixing bowl.
Stir through the suet, pour in the milk and work together with a cutlery knife until you get a sticky dough.
You may need a drop more milk, depending on your flour.
Tip the dough out onto a floured surface, quickly pat together to smooth, then roll out to a square roughly 25 x 25cm.
Spread the jam all over, leaving a gap along one edge, then roll up from the opposite edge.
Pinch the jam-free edge into the dough where it meets, and pinch the ends roughly, too.
Carefully lift onto the greased paper, join-side down (you might find a flat baking sheet helpful for this), loosely bring up the paper and foil around it, then scrunch together along the edges and ends to seal.
The roly-poly will puff quite a bit during cooking so don’t wrap it tightly.
Lift the parcel directly onto the rack above the tin and cook for 1 hr.
Let the pudding sit for 5 mins before unwrapping, then carefully open the foil and paper, and thickly slice to serve.
👨🍳 Chef's Culinary Notes
Cultural Heritage
Jam Roly-Poly reflects the timeless heritage of traditional British home cooking, satisfying, traditional, and highlighting slow-simmered savory gravies. Prepared for generations for family gatherings and celebrations, it represents the heart of regional culinary identity.
Dietary Substitutions
If using instant dry yeast instead of active dry yeast, you can mix it directly into the dry ingredients without proofing first, reducing wait time by 15 minutes.
Chef Technique Tips
Always ensure liquids used to activate the yeast are comfortably lukewarm (around 38°C–42°C / 100°F–108°F); liquid that is too hot will kill the yeast, while cold liquid delays proofing. Keep the dough in a warm, draft-free spot to rise.
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