Marmalade Steam Pudding

Ingredients

• 150g fine brown breadcrumbs
• 120g soft brown sugar
• 25g self-raising wholemeal flour (white self-raising would do)
• 120g fresh butter, plus extra for greasing the bowl
• 8 tablespoonfuls well-flavoured, coarse-cut marmalade (homemade is always the best)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 rounded teaspoonful bicarbonate of soda plus water to mix
• 1 teaspoon of Vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg

Method

Butter a  pudding basin well. Or use muffin tins for individual puddings. Place the breadcrumbs, flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Melt the butter together with the marmalade in a saucepan over a gently heat. Pour the melted ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly. Whisk the eggs until frothy and beat gently into the mixture until blended together well.

Last of all, dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in 1 tablespoonful of cold water. Stir this into the pudding mixture, which will increase in volume as it absorbs the bicarbonate of soda. Spoon the mixture into the prepared basin. Cover it with a close-fitting lid, or alternatively, make a lid with circles of buttered greaseproof paper and foil, pleated together across the centre and tied securely around the rim of the basin.

Place the pudding basin in a saucepan of boiling water. The water should reach halfway up the side of the basin. Cover the pan with a close-fitting lid and simmer the pudding for 2 hours. The water will need topping up throughout the cooking period. Turn out on to a serving dish, slice and serve hot, with fresh cream, ice cream, or a yummy custard made with your choice of liquer.