Chocolate Christmas Pudding with White Chocolate Custard

Cook Time 2 hours

Servings 8

Ingredients

1 cup sultanas
½ cup currants
½ cup brandy
125g butter, softened
2/3 cup caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Finely grated rind 1 orange
1 ½ cups self raising flour
¼ cup cocoa
¼ cup milk
½ cup milk chocolate chips
4 egg yolks
2 tbsp cornflour
½ cup caster sugar, extra
1 ½ cups thickened cream
1 cup milk, extra
100g white chocolate, broken into pieces
2 tbsp brandy, extra

Method

Combine the fruit and brandy, cover and stand overnight.

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually add the egg, beating well between each addition. Fold in the rind, sifted flour and cocoa, fruit mixture, milk and choc chips.

Spoon the mixture into a greased and base paper lined 2 litre capacity pudding basin. Cover with a tight fitting lid or a double layer of foil and secure with string, if necessary. Place on an upturned saucer in the base of a large saucepan or boiler. Pour boiling water into the saucepan so that is comes halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and steam for 1½–1¾ hours, topping up water as required.

Whisk together the yolks, cornflour and caster sugar in a bowl. Combine the cream and milk in a saucepan and bring just to the boil, then add to the egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Return to the saucepan. Stir over a low heat until thickened slightly. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and extra brandy and stir to combine.

Serve the custard warm poured over the pudding.