Jam roly-poly facts for kids
Jam roly-poly
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| Alternative names | Dead Man's Arm, Dead Man's Leg, Roly poly pudding |
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| Type | Pudding |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Main ingredients | Suet, jam |
Jam roly-poly is a classic British dessert. It is also known by fun nicknames like shirt-sleeve pudding, dead man's arm, or dead man's leg. This tasty treat likely first appeared in the early 1800s.
It is made from a flat sheet of suet dough. This dough is spread with sweet jam and then rolled up. It looks a bit like a Swiss roll. After being rolled, it is usually steamed or baked. Long ago, people sometimes cooked it inside an old shirt-sleeve. This is how it got its funny nicknames!
Contents
What is Jam Roly-Poly?
Jam roly-poly is a type of pudding. Puddings are often sweet desserts, but some can be savory. This one is definitely a dessert. It is a very popular dish in the United Kingdom.
The main part of the pudding is the dough. This dough is special because it uses suet. Suet is a type of fat from around the kidneys of animals, usually beef. It makes the dough very light and fluffy when cooked.
How it's Made
First, the suet dough is rolled out flat. It becomes a thin, rectangular shape. Then, a layer of jam is spread all over the dough. Strawberry or raspberry jam are common choices. After the jam is spread, the dough is carefully rolled up into a long log.
This log is then cooked. Most often, it is steamed. Steaming keeps the pudding moist and soft. Sometimes, it can also be baked. Once cooked, it is usually sliced and served warm. People often eat it with custard or cream.
History and Popularity
Jam roly-poly has been a favorite in Britain for a long time. It was mentioned in famous cookery books. For example, Mrs Beeton included it in her well-known Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management. This book was very popular in the 19th century.
A School Dinner Classic
In the mid-20th century, jam roly-poly became a staple. It was a common dessert served in British school dinners. Many adults remember it as a comforting treat from their childhood. It is still considered a classic British dessert today. Other famous British puddings include sticky toffee pudding and spotted dick.
Jam Roly-Poly in Stories
This pudding is so well-known that it even appears in children's books! In Beatrix Potter's 1908 book, The Tale of Samuel Whiskers or The Roly-Poly Pudding, a character named Tom Kitten gets rolled into a pudding by some rats. This shows how popular and recognizable the "roly-poly pudding" was.
Images for kids
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Greedy boy with roly poly pudding, 19th century
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Joke about cooking roly poly pudding in a stocking, 1934
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Jam roly poly preparation, 2021
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