STEVEN’S LEMON & BLACKCURRANT DRIZZLE STEAMED PUDDING

Cut open this lemony pudding from 2017 finalist Steven CarterBailey, and you’ll reveal swirls of blackcurrant sauce.

Serves 8

Finely grated zest of 5 unwaxed lemons

175g (6oz) self-raising flour

175g (6oz) unsalted butter, softened 175g (6oz) golden caster sugar ½tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs, beaten

For the blackcurrant sauce

200g (7oz) fresh or frozen blackcurrants

50g (1¾oz) light muscovado sugar Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon 4tbsp crème de cassis or blackcurrant liqueur

You will need

A 27cm disc of baking paper, greased; a 27cm disc of kitchen foil; a 1ltr pudding basin, well greased; kitchen string; a cooking syringe

STEP 1 Place an upturned saucer in the base of a large, lidded pan (this is to rest the pudding basin on as it cooks, so it’s not in direct contact with the heat) and fill the pan a third full with hot water. Cover and set over a medium heat. Fold the disc of baking paper, greased side down, so it has a 3cm-wide pleat in the centre. Turn by 90° and pleat again, to make a cross. Repeat with the foil disc. STEP 2 Put the lemon zest into a bowl, sift in the flour and mix.

Put the butter, sugar and vanilla into another bowl and beat until creamy and light. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Fold in the flour and lemon. STEP 3 Spoon the batter into the basin and spread evenly. Cover the top with the pleated baking paper (greased-side down), then the foil (both should cover the rim of the basin as well), and secure with string under the rim. Tie a doubled length of string over the top as a handle.

STEP 4 Put the basin in the pan, on top of the saucer, and add more hot water, so that it reaches a third of the way up the sides of the basin. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Top up with hot water when needed.

STEP 5 Put 150g of the blackcurrants into a pan with 100ml water, the sugar and lemon zest and set over a low heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then simmer for 5-7 minutes, until the blackcurrant juices are released.

STEP 6 Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining blackcurrants and the crème de cassis. Leave until cold, then strain into a jug. Tip the berries back into the pan and set aside. Pour the juice into the syringe.

STEP 7 Lift the pudding from the pan. Remove the cover and loosen with a palette knife. Leave for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a warm plate.

STEP 8 Insert the syringe into the pudding and inject sauce while retracting it (to create stripes inside). Repeat all over the pudding.

STEP 9 Pour any remaining juice into the pan with the fruit, warm through, then spoon some over the pudding and serve the remainder in a jug.