Here is a great winter pudding. If you don't like Drambuie then use Cointreau or any other spirit or even leave it out.
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For the marmalade pudding, grease a lidded 1.7 litre pudding basin.
Place the breadcrumbs, flour and sugar into a large bowl and mix well. Put the butter and the marmalade into a saucepan and cook over a gentle heat, stirring constantly, until the ingredients have melted and combined.
Add the melted butter and marmalade mixture to the dry ingredients and mix together thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
Place the eggs into a clean bowl and whisk until they become frothy. Gradually add the eggs to the marmalade and flour mixture, while gently whisking. Whisk the mixture until the ingredients have combined and the mixture has taken on a smooth texture.
Place the bicarbonate of soda into a small bowl and mix in one tablespoon of cold water. Stir the bicarbonate of soda into the pudding mixture, which will increase in volume as it is absorbed.
Pour the mixture into the pudding basin and cover the basin with a close-fitting lid. Place the pudding basin into a saucepan of boiling water. The water should reach halfway up the side of the basin. Simmer the pudding for two hours. The water will need topping up throughout the cooking period.
For the Drambuie custard, place the cream and vanilla pod and seeds into a heavy-based pan. Cook at a medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and leave for five minutes to cool and to let the vanilla flavour infuse into the heat.
Place the egg yolks and sugar into a stainless steel bowl and mix the ingredients well with a wire balloon whisk. The sugar should dissolve into the egg yolks to form a thick fluffy mixture. Slowly pour the cream on top of the egg and sugar mixture, while whisking vigorously.
Pour the mixture into a clean saucepan and place over a medium heat. Stir the custard carefully with a wooden spoon to make sure the custard doesn't catch on the bottom. Cook the mixture until it has thickened enough to lightly coat the wooden spoon when it is removed.
When it is cooked, strain the mixture through a coarse sieve into a clean bowl and stir in the Drambuie. Cover the bowl with cling film to stop a skin from forming on the surface of the custard and keep the custard warm until needed.
To serve, turn the marmalade pudding out onto a clean serving dish, slice and serve hot with the custard.
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