| 1. | Combine fruit, brandy, rinds and apple. Cover and set aside overnight or for at least 2 hours. |
| 2. | Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, beat in golden syrup. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. |
| 3. | Combine breadcrumbs, flour, spices and almonds. Add creamed butter mixture and soaked fruit, mixing well to combine. |
| 4. | Grease a 2 litre capacity pudding basin, line the base with a double layer of baking paper. |
| 5. | Spoon mixture into the basin and smooth top. Double line the top with baking paper rounds. |
| 6. | Take a 60cm long piece of baking paper and 60cm piece of foil, layer and fold in half, make a 3cm pleat in the middle (this allows for any expansion of the pudding). Place sheets over pudding and secure tightly with string. Place a wire rack onto the base of a large saucepan, 1/3 fill with water and bring to the boil. Carefully place pudding onto wire rack making sure the water level comes about halfway up pudding basin. Cover and simmer for 6 hours, replenish water when needed. |
| 7. | Remove from water, stand for 10 minutes before turning out. Serve cut into slices with hard sauce and crème anglais. |
| Hard Sauce: |
| 8. | Beat butter until thick and creamy. Reduce speed to low and beat in remaining ingredients to combine. Increase speed and beat for 2 minutes. Spoon into a serving dish and keep in a cool dry place until serving. |
| Crème Anglais: |
| 9. | Place milk and vanilla bean in a small saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove vanilla bean, split in half, scrape out seeds and return seeds to the milk. Discard the pod. In a clean dry bowl whisk egg yolks and sugar until thick and creamy. Pour in hot milk, whisking continuously. Place bowl over a double boiler, cook, stirring continuously for 5 minutes or until mixture coats the back of a spoon. Do not let the custard boil as it will scramble. Remove from heat, pour into a jug and serve with pudding and hard sauce. Makes 2 cups. |
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