Christmas pudding and custard

For the Christmas pudding

• Combine the dried fruit with the whisky in a large mixing bowl. Stir well and then cover and set aside to soak for at least 2 days, preferably longer; up to 1 week.
• After soaking, combine the flour, breadcrumbs, suet, sugar, spices, baking powder, eggs, grated apple, and orange zest in a large mixing bowl. Beat well until smooth, about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the soaked fruits and their liquid and mix well to combine. Grease a 1.4 kg | 3 lb pudding bowl with the softened butter.
• Smear the warmed honey around the base and sides before placing the candied fruit and mixed nuts at the base. Arrange the orange slices around the lower sides of the bowl in an even row.
• Fill the bowl with the pudding mixture, pressing it down and compacting it firmly with the back of a damp tablespoon.
• Place a lid or a saucer on top of the pudding bowl, making sure there is a little room between the lid and the pudding batter.
• Tie the lid in place with kitchen string and then wrap the bowl with aluminium foil.
• Place an upturned saucer in the base of a large saucepan. Place the pudding bowl on top of the saucer and then half-fill the saucepan with hot water.
• Bring to a simmer over a moderate heat, cover the saucepan with a lid, and steam the pudding over a slightly reduced heat for 5 hours, topping up the water as necessary when it starts to run a little dry.
• Carefully remove the pudding after 5 hours. Set aside to cool in a dark, dry place for up to 6 months.
• On the day you want to serve the pudding, rewrap the pudding bowl in fresh foil and steam again as before for 3 hours.
• Carefully remove the pudding and set aside to cool as your prepare the custard.

For the custard

• Combine the milk, cream, and vanilla extract in a saucepan.
• Warm over a medium heat until it approaches boiling point, and then remove from the heat as it starts to boil. Leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar in a heatproof mixing bowl until pale and thick, 2 minutes.
• Add the cornflour and beat for a further 30 seconds.
• Whisk the milk and cream mixture into the egg yolks in a slow, steady stream until fully incorporated.
• Pour the custard mixture back into a clean saucepan and cook over a medium-low heat, stirring continually, until thickened to a pouring consistency, 3 minutes.
• Pour into a serving jug.
• Carefully unwrap the foil from the pudding bowl. Invert the pudding onto a cake stand and serve with the custard on the side.