James Martin Golden Syrup Pudding Recipes

Steps:

• Soak the sultanas, currants, figs, mixed peel, cherries and the apricots in the brandy in a bowl overnight if possible or for at least a few hrs (if you don't have time for this, place the fruit in a microwaveable bowl with the brandy and give it a quick blast in the microwave to plump up). In a larger bowl, mix the ginger and syrup, apples, orange juice and zest, eggs, suet, crumbs, sugar and flour. Using your fingers or a wooden spoon, mix in the soaked fruit and mixed spice.
• Butter 2 x 1.5-litre pudding basins and divide the mixture between them, filling almost to the rim. Smooth the tops and cover with 2 circles of greaseproof paper. Cover each pudding with a sheet of foil with a folded pleat down the centre, to allow the pudding to expand, and secure everything by tying it tightly with some string. Stand the puddings in a deep, large pan (or 2 if that's easier) on trivets or upturned saucers and pour boiling water around so it comes about a third of the way up. Cover the pan and steam the puddings for 5 hrs, topping up with more boiling water when necessary.
• Let the puddings cool down before removing the foil and greaseproof paper, then cover with cling film over the top and store in a cool, dry place if you aren't using them straight away. This is the time you can drizzle them with more booze in the run-up to Christmas if you have time. To reheat, steam the pudding for 1 hr more before turning out and flaming with hot brandy.

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar until pale and light. Beat in egg. Sift flour and sugar over the top and fold in, alternately with the milk and vanilla.
• Spoon golden syrup into the bottom of a 4-cup buttered pudding basin. Spoon pudding mixture on top of golden syrup. Cover the top of the basin with a circle of baking or waxed paper (or a circle of washed muslin or calico) cut so that it has a diameter about 2" wider than the top of the pudding basin, this is then put over the top, tied with string around the lip, and the excess paper or fabric turned up on top of the 'lid'. I often tie 'handles' of string on either side of the bowl to make the next step easier.
• Take a large saucepan that will more than fit in the pudding basin. I put an old saucer upside down in the bottom of the pan to stand the basin on. Fill the saucepan with water that comes halfway up the sides of the bowl. Remove the bowl, put the lid on the saucepan, bring the water to a simmer, return the bowl to the pan, replace the lid on the pan. Steam for 75 minutes.
• Remove from water, rest for 10 mins, turn out onto a flat plate. Serve with cream and or ice-cream.

Steps:

• Grease the base and sides of a 1.4 litre pudding basin, then line base with greaseproof paper. Spoon the marmalade into the base.
• Discard any pips, put orange in a food processor, then process until finely chopped. Place in a bowl, set aside.
• Put butter, sugar, eggs, flour, bicarbonate of soda and ginger in the food processor and process until smooth and creamy. Mix in the chopped orange.
• Spoon mixture into the prepared basin. Cover with a double thickness of greaseproof paper, securing with string. Tightly cover with foil. Put in a steamer over a pan of boiling water or rest on an upturned plate in a large pan, then pour boiling water around the basin to half fill the pan. Cover and steam for 2 hrs, topping up with water when necessary.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter in a small pan, add the marmalade, hazelnuts and syrup, then gently heat through for 2 mins.
• remove the foil and paper and turn the pudding onto a serving plate. Spoon the sauce over the pudding and serve hot with clotted cream or crème fraîche.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to a moderate heat.
• Grease 6-8 small ovenproof moulds with butter.
• Beat butter, sugar & lemon zest together until pale and creamy. Add the milk and eggs and beat well. (Don't worry if the mix curdles). Sift in flour and fold flour in to mix.
• Combine golden syrup and lemon juice together and put an equal amount of syrup (not batter) into each mould then fill each mould with batter to about 2/3 full.
• Cover moulds with baking paper and tie of to seal. Place pudding into a baking dish and add water to baking dish. Water should come up only to halfway of the sides of the moulds.
• Bake puddings for approx 40 minutes.
• Remove the pudding and cool slighlty on a rack. Remove covers and turn puddings out onto serving plates.
• Pour some extra heated golden syrup over them before serving if desired.
• Serve with ice-cream, cream or custard.