Steamed Buckwheat Sponge Pudding

A Burns Night pudding by Dame Jen GreenhalghServes 8-10

• 120g softened butter

• 40g lard

• 75g caster sugar

• 75g golden syrup

• 2 whole eggs

• 140g plain flour

• 100g buckwheat flour

• 4.5g baking powder

• 50g plain yoghurt

Method

1. Cream the butter, lard, sugar and golden syrup together until light and fluffy in a mixer with a beater attachment or a hand whisk. Scrape the sides a couple of times during this process so it all gets super fluffy.

2. Add in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions, then add the yoghurt and fully incorporate.

3. Sift together the flour and baking powder and gradually fold into the mix using a metal spoon and keeping as much air in as possible.

4. Grease a large pudding basin and spoon the mix in, level the top and bake in a bain marie (water bath) in a 160c oven until a cake tester comes out clean.

5. Baking time: Approx. 1 hour

6. Allow to cool in the basin for 10 or so minutes before turning a out onto a plate and serving with the whisky custard.

Whisky Custard

100g sugar

500ml milk

1 vanilla pod

100ml scotch whisky

10 egg yolks

Method:

1. Moisten the sugar in a pan with a little water and cook till a golden caramel.

2. Meanwhile, scrape the vanilla pod and add the seeds and pod to the milk and bring to a rapid boil and turn off, known as scalding the milk.

3. Whisk together in a bowl the whisky and yolks.

4. Now slowly incorporate the hot milk and vanilla into the caramel and cook until all sugar dissolved. Careful, it bubbles like crazy, use a large pan.

5. Add some of the hot caramel and milk to the yolks and whisk immediately so as not to cook the yolks.

6. Add the yolk mixture to the rest of the caramel milk In the pan and stir over a medium heat until thickened, pass through a fine sieve and serve.