Real plum pudding

1. Half fill a stockpot with water and bring to the boil. Place a saucer or heatproof mat in the bottom of the pot.
2. Keep the water simmering while you mix up the pudding. Mix together in a bowl all the fruit, almonds and breadcrumbs.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder and spices together into another container. Add 2 tablespoons of this mixture to the fruit and breadcrumbs and mix in.
4. In a separate large bowl cream the butter and brown sugar and beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients to make a batter.
5. Stir in the prepared fruit and breadcrumbs and the brandy. Take the pudding cloth as described above and place it in the pot of boiling water for 2 minutes.
6. Use tongs to lift it out and let excess water drip off. Lay the cloth on a bench and sieve about a quarter of a cup of flour over most of the cloth, leaving an outer rim un-floured.
7. Give the cloth a toss to spread the flour evenly over it, then lay it flat and scoop the pudding mixture into the middle.
8. Gather up the sides and, leaving a little room for the pudding to expand, tie firmly with a piece of strong string.
9. Use your hands to pat the pudding into a ball and lower it into the boiling water.
10. The water should come three-quarters of the way up the pudding, so adjust if needed. For a more spherical pudding, tie it to a wooden spoon, which is placed across the top of the pot.
11. Bring back to the boil, then lower the heat to maintain the water at a rolling simmer, partly cover with a lid and continue to simmer for 5 hours.
12. Check frequently to ensure that the water continues at a rolling simmer, adding a little more hot water if needed to keep it at least halfway up the pudding.
13. When the pudding is cooked, set out on the bench a large pot of cold water and a bowl the right size to hold the pudding.
14. Lift the pudding out of the boiling water and dunk it for one second only into the cold water then transfer to the bowl.
15. Cut the string and carefully ease the cloth back from the pudding and over the edge of the bowl. Now, take a heatproof plate, lay it over the pudding, then turn the whole thing upside down.
16. Lift off the bowl and peel the cloth away from the pudding, which will appear pale, damp and rather unattractive.
17. Don't despair. Allow the pudding to dry for a few minutes, then place in a preheated 100C oven for about 15 minutes until the surface is golden brown and glossy.
18. If not served immediately, cool and store in the refrigerator. To reheat the pudding, wrap in foil and put in a 100C oven for about an hour.

Creamy sauce

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
2. Then boil until the syrup is reduced by about half. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl with an electric beater until thick and creamy.
3. Gradually beat in the hot syrup. Beat until thick and creamy, then stir in the cream. Refrigerate covered for up to 2 days before serving.