RUM AND RAISIN PUDDING

Despite never drinking alcohol, one of my favourite ice-cream flavours is rum and raisin. I keep a Kilner jar of rum-soaked raisins in the cupboard (see tip).

SERVES 6

H 60g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

H 60g caster sugar

H 2 eggs, beaten

H 80g plain flour

H 1 tsp baking powder

H pinch of Maldon or flaky salt

H 50g rum-soaked raisins

(see tip, below)

H 60ml full-fat milk

H 60ml double cream

H 1 tbsp custard powder

H 1 tbsp golden syrup

1 Preheat the oven to 190C/

170C fan/gas 5. Lightly grease a 15cm x 20cm rectangular pie tin or ovenproof dish.

2 Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Stir in the eggs and mix well.

3 In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt, then fold into the creamed mixture. Stir in the rum-soaked raisins. Scoop the batter into the pie tin or dish and spread evenly.

4 In a jug, stir together the milk, cream, custard powder and golden syrup. Pour this mixture over the raisin batter and use a butter knife to swirl it through.

5 Put the pie tin or dish on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes or until golden.

6 Remove from the oven and serve warm with custard or chilled cream and extra rum-soaked raisins, if you like.

TIP

To make rum-soaked raisins, put 50g of raisins in a bowl, add 20ml of rum, stir and leave to soak for 1 hour. This makes 50g of raisins for the recipe; double the quantity if you want extra to serve. Do this ahead of time in a large batch, as the raisins keep for months in a Kilner jar at room temperature out of direct sunlight.