Lord Randall’s pudding

COOKING TIME 1½–2 HOURS

SERVES 4–6

225g (8oz) dried apricots, chopped

225g (8oz) thick-cut Seville orange marmalade

225g (8oz) plain flour

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

225g (8oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

120g (4oz) soft dark brown sugar

1 large egg, beaten

90ml (3fl oz) milk

Custard, to serve

LIGHTLY GREASE A 1.1-LITRE (2-pint) pudding basin and cover the bottom with a little of the chopped apricots and marmalade. Sift together the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl.

IN A MIXING BOWL, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. One at a time, add the beaten egg, milk, sifted flour and soda, and remaining apricots to the creamed mixture, stirring well after each addition. Beat vigorously and finally mix in the rest of the marmalade.

POUR THE MIXTURE into the greased basin and cover securely with a lid or foil. Steam for 1½–2 hours. Turn out and serve with custard.

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This recipe came to us 20 years ago as a competition entry, although the winner couldn’t explain the name, as it was passed down from her late grandmother. It’s probably inspired by a Victorian ballad (made popular by Steeleye Span in the 1980s), in which Lord Randall laments to his mother that he’s been poisoned by ‘eels fried in a pan’ (so our pudding wasn’t to blame!). This is the name of one of our themed Pudding Rooms, where you can sleep soundly in the knowledge that Lord Randall is watching over you.

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