Pudding

Chocolate, Marmalade & Ginger Steamed Pudding

Chocolate and marmalade are a magnificent match in this traditional steamed pudding, made more delicious with the addition of nuggets of preserved ginger. The sponge itself is lovely and moist, and invested with a generous marmalade crown. But as it doesn’t have rivers of sauce, it’s best served with a jug of custard –– ideally spiked with rum or whisky –– alongside.

20 minutes prep, 1 hour, 45 minutes cook

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

5 heaped tbsps marmalade

50g stem ginger from a jar, chopped, plus 1-2 tbsps syrup from the jar (if needed)

175g plain flour

45g cocoa powder

2 tsps baking powder

Pinch of salt

175g caster sugar

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

4-5 tbsps milk

Custard or ice cream, to serve

Special kit:

1.2-litre pudding basin

Method

Generously grease a 1.2-litre pudding basin with butter and line the base with a circle of baking paper. Butter a large square of foil. If your marmalade is very firm, stir in some of the stem ginger syrup: what you want is a loose mixture.

Spoon the marmalade into the base of the pudding basin and set aside.

Using a fork or balloon whisk, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. In a mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.

Gradually beat in the eggs, adding a little of the flour mixture if it starts to curdle. Stir in the flour mixture and enough of the milk to form a soft dropping consistency. Fold in the chopped stem ginger.

Spoon the mixture into the basin and smooth the top. Make 2 pleats in the centre of the prepared foil, place buttered- side down and secure with string around the rim.

Place an upturned saucer in a large pan and place the basin on top. Pour in enough boiling water to come one-quarter way up the side of the basin.

Cover with a lid and simmer for 1 hour 45 minutes, topping up with more boiling water if necessary. Carefully remove the basin from the pan, run a knife around the sides to loosen and invert onto a plate. Serve with custard or ice cream.