As-you-like-it steamed pudding

A steamed basin sponge hits the spot every time and uses up half-full jars of marmalade, syrup or jam – serve hot with custard!

butter, for greasing
custard, to serve (optional)
4 tbsp jam (we used strawberry), marmalade, curd, golden syrup or chopped stem ginger (or 200g/7oz canned fruit, drained and roughly chopped)
175g/ 6oz butter, softened
175g/ 6oz caster sugar
3 eggs
175g/ 6oz self-raising flour
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Generously grease a 1.2-litre pudding basin and put your chosen topping in the base. Boil a kettle of water. To prepare your steamer, put a snugly fitting upturned bowl in the base of a large, deep saucepan, big enough to hold the pudding.
Put the ingredients for the sponge in a food processor and blend until smooth (but don’t overwork the mix), then tip into the pudding basin. Cover with a lid made of baking parchment and foil, and tie with string to secure (see step-by-step). Stand the pudding on the upturned bowl in your saucepan. Pour in enough hot water to come halfway up the side of the pudding basin. Set over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, lower the heat to a gentle simmer and leave to steam for 2½ hrs, topping up with boiling water if the level gets too low.
Check the pudding is cooked by inserting a skewer through the foil and parchment lid into the centre of the pudding. If the skewer still has some wet mixture on it, return the pudding to the steamer for a further 15-20 mins, then check again. Once cooked, uncover and turn the pudding onto a plate. Serve straight away with custard, if you like.