Now that I've actually worked out how to steam a pudding, it was quite straightforward. The pudding itself was simple enough, just cream butter and sugar, beat in an egg, then mix in the dry ingredients and some milk.
In the bottom of the pudding basin, I had the option of adding either jam or raisins. Since I have a cupboardful of homemade jam, I took advantage of this opportunity to use up some of it. I selected a jar that had a small amount of boysenberry jam in it. It was starting to go sugary, so it wouldn't have been much good as a spread anyway.
I scooped out the jam and added it to the bottom of the basin, then spooned the pudding mixture on top. Fastening a pleated piece of tinfoil on top with string, I sat the basin in a saucepan part-filled with water, put the lid on, and left it to steam for an hour and a half.
I'd totally forgotten to grease the pudding bowl, so when I tried to tip out the pudding, it was stuck fast. Even when I levered the pudding out with a knife, most of the jam was still stuck in the bottom. I had to scoop it out with a spoon.
It wasn't until I'd served up some of the pudding and had a taste that it occurred to me that this isn't really a pudding to be eaten on its own. Some ice cream, or... (here I checked the recipe, and sure enough: "serve with Edmonds custard").
The custard didn't take long to make, and it made the pudding much more appealing: sure, it was warm, filling comfort food before, but with a feeling that something was missing. Any kind of steamed pud (and I still have a number to do) is a pleasant filler on a chilly evening, but take my advice and don't forget the custard.
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