Steamed pudding with marmalade sauce recipe

Beat the winter blues with a generous helping of this warming steamed pud - serve it with custard and you've got comfort food heaven!

Ingredients

For the pudding

:

• 175g (6oz) butter, softened
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar
• 3 large, or 4 medium, eggs
• 175g (6oz) self-raising flour
• Finely grated zest of 2 large oranges
• 1tsp baking powder
• 3tbsp milk

For the sauce

:

• Juice of 2 large oranges
• 5tbsp chunky Seville marmalade
• 1.2-1.5 litre (2-2½ pint) pudding basin, well-buttered

Method

1. Beat the butter and sugar together, with an electric whisk, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, with a tbsp of flour. Add the orange zest and then sift in the rest of the flour with the baking powder, add the milk and whisk in to make a smooth mixture.
2. Spoon the mixture into the basin, cover with a piece of buttered, pleated Bakewell paper and a piece of foil with a pleat in.
3. Put the basin in a steamer over a pan of boiling water (or balanced on an upturned saucer in a large pan). Cover with a lid and steam for 2 hours, checking occasionally and topping up with boiling water.
4. Take off the heat and leave it for 5-10 mins, while you make the sauce. Bring the orange juice to the boil in a small pan and boil until reduced by half. Add the marmalade and stir over the heat to melt and make a sauce. Spoon over the pudding. Serve hot with custard, if you like.