Hunting pudding

Method

1. Soak the sultanas in the orange juice for 2 hours, and butter an 850 ml pudding basin. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and stir in the shredded suet and sugar. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg and the orange zest; stir in the soaked sultanas and juice. Beat in the eggs, and the brandy if you’re using it.

2. Pour the mixture into the prepared pudding basin. Cover it with a double layer of greaseproof paper, making a folded pleat in the middle to allow for expansion. Tie the paper in place with string, and cover this with foil, also with a pleat across the centre.

3. Place the basin in a steamer basket set over boiling water. Cover and steam for 1 hour 30 minutes–2 hours until the pudding is firm to the touch; check the water level now and again to make sure the pan doesn’t burn dry. Serve with custard or double cream.