Ingredients

• 6 tbsp golden syrup
• 1 Bramley cooking apple
• peeled and chopped
• 175g/6oz butter
• softened (plus extra for greasing)
• 175g/6oz soft dark brown sugar
• 1 lemon
• zest only
• 1 vanilla pod
• split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out
• 4 medium free-range eggs
• 175g/6oz self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 150g/5½oz caster sugar
• 250g/9oz plums
• stones removed
• 150g/5½oz Bramley apples
• peeled and chopped
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3-4 cloves
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh root ginger
• 6 free-range egg yolks
• 75g/2½oz caster sugar
• 200ml/7fl oz milk
• 200ml/7fl oz double cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out

Directions

• For the steamed pudding
• butter a 1.2litre/2 pint heatproof bowl then pour the golden syrup into the bottom. Add the apple and mix.
• Mix the butter and sugar in a separate bowl until light and fluffy. Stir in the lemon zest and vanilla seeds. Beat in the eggs one at a time
• beating well between each addition. Fold in the flour and baking powder and mix to form a smooth
• thick batter.
• Spoon the sponge mixture into the buttered bowl. Cut a large piece of baking paper and a matching piece of aluminium foil. Place the foil on top and fold a pleat down the middle to allow the paper to expand. Place over the pudding and secure around the edge using cooks’ string. Fold a large piece of aluminium foil into a long strip and place under the pudding bowl to use as a handle later.
• Place a saucer or small plate upside down into the bottom of a large saucepan.
• Put the covered bowl on the saucer and pour water into the pan to reach two-thirds of the way up the bowl. Cover the pan with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1-1½ hours.
• For the plum and pear compôte
• heat a large saucepan and add the butter and sugar. Add the plums
• apples
• cinnamon sticks
• cloves and ginger and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Simmer the sauce
• stirring gently until it thickens.
• For the custard
• place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until well blended. Put the milk
• cream
• vanilla pod and seeds into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for a minute
• then pour onto the egg mixture and whisk in. Return to the saucepan and heat slowly
• or until the custard has thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon. Strain through a sieve into a clean pan.
• To serve
• remove the pudding from the saucepan using the foil strip to help you. Discard the foil and baking parchment. Place a plate on top of the pudding and turn over
• tipping out the pudding onto the plate. Cut the pudding into slices and serve along with the compôte and custard.