Instructions: Cream the fat with the sugar until very light and fluffy using a wooden spoon or in a mixer.

Gradually beat in the egg beating well after each addition.

Carefully foid in the flour and the milk using a large metal spoon.

The mixture should have a soft dropping consistency; if necessary add a little extra milk.

Steam sponge puddings in a greased heatproof pudding basin baked puddings are usually cooked in a heatproof glass or china pie dish.

Adding flavour

Canary pudding: add a little grated lemon or orange rind to the mixture when you cream the butter and sugar together.

Chocolate pudding: add a level tablespoon of cocoa sieved with the flour to the mixture.

Ginger pudding: add half a teaspoon ground ginger sieved with the flour to the mixture or add a teaspoon of finely chopped preserved stem ginger when creaming the butter and sugar.

Fruit pudding: add 60 to 85g dried fruit such as raisins and sultanas to the mixture after adding the flour.

Almond pudding: add a table spoon of ground almonds to the mixture with the flour.

Nut pudding: add 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped toasted hazelnuts to the mixture with the flour

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