Three Chimneys Hot Marmalade Pudding

Butter a 3-pint pudding basin well. Place the breadcrumbs, flour and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Melt the butter together with the marmalade in a saucepan over a gentle heat and add the orange zest. Pour the melted ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly. Whisk the eggs until frothy and beat gently into the mixture until blended together well.

Lastly dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the whiskey. Stir this into the pudding mixture, which will increase in volume as it absorbs the bicarbonate of soda. Spoon the mixture into the prepared basin. Cover it with a close-fitting lid, or make a lid with circles of buttered greaseproof paper and foil, pleated together across the centre and tied securely around the rim of the basin.

Place the pudding basin in a saucepan of water – if it’s plastic make sure you place a saucer on the base of the pan. The water should reach halfway up the side of the basin. Cover the pan with a close-fitting lid and bring the water to the boil. Simmer the pudding for 2 hours. The water will need topping up from the kettle throughout the cooking period.

Make the marmalade glaze by melting the 3 tbsp marmalade with a little water.

Whiskey Custard

Whisk the egg yolks together with the sugar until pale, slightly thick and creamy.

Gently warm the milk, cream and vanilla seeds until just beginning to bubble. Pour half the milk and cream on to the egg and sugar mixture and whisk together. Return the mixture to the saucepan and add the rest of the cream and milk mixture.

Bring to the boil very slowly, stirring all the time. As soon as it begins to thicken, or coats the back of the wooden spoon, remove from the heat and strain into a bowl or jug for serving. Stir in the whiskey. Serve immediately.

Serve

Turn out the pud on to a serving dish, slice and serve with hot whiskey custard and a drizzle of warm marmalade glaze.