Treacle Sponge Pudding

Total Time: 2 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3 tablespoons golden syrup
• 1 tablespoon fine breadcrumbs
• 1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
• 175 g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 175 g caster sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 200 g self-raising flour
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 450 ml double cream
• 300 ml milk
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla pod, split in half lenthways with seeds removed and reserved
• 4 tablespoons caster sugar

Recipe

• 1 in a small bowl mix together the golden syrup with the breadcrumbs and lemon juice.
• 2 spoon the mixture into the bottom of a well-greased 2 pint pudding basin and set aside.
• 3 to prepare the sponge, gently cream the butter and sugar together.
• 4 add the grated lemon rind and slowly whisk in the eggs, a little at a time.
• 5 sift over the flour and gently whisk the mixture together.
• 6 add just enough milk for the mixture to drop easily from a spoon.
• 7 spoon the mixture into the prepared pudding basin and cover with a disc of greaseproof paper, followed by a double piece of foil, tied under the rim of the basin with string.
• 8 to steam the pudding: place a small non-breakable saucer into the base of a large pan.
• 9 place the basin onto the saucer and fill the pan with boiling water two-thirds up the side of the basin.
• 10 cover and steam for between 1-3/4 to 2 hours.
• 11 do not let the water dry out by continually topping up the water to the two-thirds mark.
• 12 meanwhile, prepare the custard: pour the milk, cream and the vanilla pod seeds into a small saucepan.
• 13 place over a gentle heat and slowly bring to the boil.
• 14 in a medium sized bowl and using a wooden spoon mix together the egg yolks and caster sugar.
• 15 remove the cream mixture from the heat and slowly stir it into the egg mixture.
• 16 return the mixture back into the saucepan on a gentle heat.
• 17 stir the custard continuously, until thick without allowing the mixture to boil.
• 18 if the custard becomes lumpy sieve the custard into a large warm jug to remove any lumps that have formed.
• 19 cover with cling film to prevent a skin forming.
• 20 remove the treacle sponge from the pan containing the hot water and allow to cool slightly.
• 21 invert onto a serving plate, ensuring that all the syrup is removed from the bottom of the basin.
• 22 serve with the custard.