CHOCOLATE RUM & RAISIN STEAMED PUDDING

Prep: 30 mins. Cooking: 3 hrs + standing. Serves 8

150ml dark rum

60g raisins

1 cup (220g) caster sugar

180g softened butter

3 eggs

180g plain flour, sieved

1½ tsp baking powder

100g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped Cinnamon custard 6 egg yolks

150g caster sugar 450ml pouring cream 1½ cups (375ml) milk 2 cinnamon quills

1 Warm rum in a small saucepan over medium heat, add raisins, then remove from heat, cover and stand for 20 mins.

2 Brush base of a 1.8L pudding bowl with butter. Line base with a round of baking paper, then butter and flour entire bowl.

3 Use an electric mixer to beat sugar and butter until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour and baking powder, stir to combine, then stir in chocolate and raisin mixture. Spoon into prepared pudding bowl, cover with buttered pleated baking paper and a sheet of pleated foil; secure with string. Place pudding bowl in a large saucepan and fill with hot water to come halfway up sides of bowl. Bring to the boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 ½ -3 hrs.

4 To make custard, whisk yolks and sugar in a bowl until sugar dissolves. Place cream, milk and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat, bring to the boil, then add to egg yolks; whisk to combine. Return mixture to saucepan and stir continuously until the mixture coats the back of a spoon,

3-4 mins. Strain into a jug and serve warm.

5 Invert pudding onto a plate and serve hot with cinnamon custard.