Steamed Syrup Sponge

You will need a 1¾ litre / quart pudding basin with lid, such as you might use to steam a Christmas pudding.

1. Put the kettle on, then put the butter, flour, sugar, eggs, lemon and milk in the food processor and whizz together, adding a little more milk if the mix is too thick (it should be a thick, pouring consistency).
2. Pour the boiling water into a large saucepan which has a lid (the water should come about half to two-thirds of the way up the side of the pudding basin when in) or into the base of a steamer. Put it on the heat. Meanwhile, butter the pudding basin, put the golden syrup in the bottom of it and stir in the lemon juice. Pour the sponge mixture on top of the syrup and put on the plastic lid, remembering to butter it first. Then put the pudding basin into the saucepan, put the lid on the saucepan, and that’s it. The pan should keep just boiling, with the lid on. The important thing is that it shouldn’t boil dry. Keep some water hot in the kettle to pour in when necessary. I know one is supposed to put the basin on a saucer in the pan, but the rattling noise it makes drives me mad, and the pudding doesn’t seem to suffer for being untriveted.
3. Let it cook for a minimum of 2 hours, more won’t matter. When it’s ready, remove (I don’t bother to make a handle out of string, but use two spatulas to lift it out of the boiling water) and let rest for a couple of minutes, no longer. Turn out with great aplomb onto a large plate with a sauce-saving lip.

You will need a 1¾ litre / quart pudding basin with lid, such as you might use to steam a Christmas pudding.

1. Put the kettle on, then put the butter, flour, sugar, eggs, lemon and milk in the food processor and whizz together, adding a little more milk if the mix is too thick (it should be a thick, pouring consistency).
2. Pour the boiling water into a large saucepan which has a lid (the water should come about half to two-thirds of the way up the side of the pudding basin when in) or into the base of a steamer. Put it on the heat. Meanwhile, butter the pudding basin, put the golden syrup or light corn syrup in the bottom of it and stir in the lemon juice. Pour the sponge mixture on top of the syrup and put on the plastic lid, remembering to butter it first. Then put the pudding basin into the saucepan, put the lid on the saucepan, and that’s it. The pan should keep just boiling, with the lid on. The important thing is that it shouldn’t boil dry. Keep some water hot in the kettle to pour in when necessary. I know one is supposed to put the basin on a saucer in the pan, but the rattling noise it makes drives me mad, and the pudding doesn’t seem to suffer for being untriveted.
3. Let it cook for a minimum of 2 hours, more won’t matter. When it’s ready, remove (I don’t bother to make a handle out of string, but use two spatulas to lift it out of the boiling water) and let rest for a couple of minutes, no longer. Turn out with great aplomb onto a large plate with a sauce-saving lip.