Christmas is coming, so use up any leftover mincemeat from last year in this steamed pudding – or, if you are really organised, take the chance to test this year’s batch.

Serves 6

Pudding

200g butter, softened

200g caster sugar

3 eggs

200g self-raising flour

1 tbsp milk

1 tbsp maple syrup

grated zest of 1 orange

Topping

10g butter

1 quince, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm chunks

3 small apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm chunks

1 tbsp orange juice

2 tbsp soft brown sugar

3 tbsp mincemeat

2 tbsp maple syrup

To prepare the topping

1.Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the quince, cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes.

2.Add the apples and orange juice and cook for about 3 minutes, covered, also over a low heat. Stir in the sugar, mincemeat and syrup, remove from the heat and set aside.

To make and assemble the pudding

3. Grease a 1-litre pudding basin and spoon the topping into the base

4. Put the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand-whisk for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.

5. Mix in 1 egg and a tablespoon of flour. Mix in the other 2 eggs in the same way, with a tablespoon of flour each time, then fold in the rest of the flour with a metal spoon. gently mix in the milk, syrup and orange zest.

6. Spoon the pudding batter into the basin on top of the mincemeat mixture. Cover the basin with a small circle of greaseproof paper , then tie a larger sheet of greaseproof or foil over this and tie with a piece of string just below the top of the basin.

7. Place the basin in a large saucepan. Pour water to a depth of 2cm and bring to a simmer. Cover the saucepan and simmer for 2 hours, checking the water from time to time and topping it up with boiling water when necessary.

8. When ready to serve, untie the greaseproof paper. Run a knife around the inside of the basin and invert the pudding on to a plate with a slight lip to hold the juices. It should come out easily and the juicy topping will run down the sides. serve with plenty of cream.

This recipe comes from the award-winning cookbook What’s for Dinner? Second Helpings by Romilla Arber. The proceeds from the book sales help fund Romilla’s Food Education Trust that awards grants to schools, groups and institutions to help them promote the benefits of home cooking.

Romilla also runs the Honesty Cookery School near Newbury and The Crown & Garter pub in Inkpen.

Author: Penny Post

Penny Post is a community notice board serving West Berkshire, Wantage, Swindon, Marlborough and surrounding areas so there