Banana and raisin puddings with rum and walnut sauce recipe

This delicious pudding is soft, moist and smouldered with sauce made from rum. Walnuts are added for texture. Serve the pudding warm and contrast it with ice cream.

Ingredients

• 100g (3½oz) butter, softened
• 100g (3½oz) dark muscovado sugar
• 2 med eggs
• 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
• ½ level tsp baking powder
• ½ level tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 very ripe, large bananas
• 60g (2oz) raisins
• Crème fraîche or ice cream, to serve (optional)

For the sauce:

• 300ml (½ pint) double cream
• 100g (3½oz) dark muscovado sugar
• 3 tbs dark rum
• 60g (2oz) walnuts, roughly chopped
• 6 dariole moulds, lightly buttered and base-lined

Method

1. Set the oven to Gas Mark 4 or 180°C. Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, with a little flour. Sift in the rest of the flour with the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mash the bananas with a fork and stir them into the cake mixture. Lastly, add the raisins and rum.
2. Divide the mixture between the dariole moulds. Sit them on a baking tray and bake for 25 mins until the puddings are risen and springy to the touch.
3. To make the sauce: Pour the cream into a small pan, then stir in the sugar and heat gently until it has dissolved. Stir in the rum and walnuts. Increase the heat slightly and bubble for 2-3 mins, until the sauce is thick.
4. Take the puddings out of the oven, turn out into shallow bowls. Pour the sauce over. Serve with crème fraîche or ice cream, if you like.