Marmalade Steamed Pudding

It's the time of year when I make the year's marmalade, Click here for the recipe I do think we are lucky to have such a plethora of citrus during these dark winter months and marmalade made now will bring sunshine throughout the year. Because new marmalade will require room on the shelf, any of last year's marmalade requires using up in ingenious ways. I have a marmalade cake in my repertoire Click here for the recipe but I thought a steamed pudding would make a nice change. If you are able, use a good sourdough loaf, a few days old for your breadcrumbs, if not do avoid at least anything which is light and fluffy, anything made by the Chorleywood method in other words, choosing instead bread which has a more robust crumb. Yes of course you can serve this with cream but please, take to time to make proper custard and you will thank me for suggesting it. Light, bitter - sweet and delicious this pudding delivers all the comfort you would ever wish for. Having just served it to the chaplain of Balliol before he makes his Seville marmalade, it's definitely had the thumbs up.

For this recipe you will need;
350g of good quality Seville orange marmalade
180g of bread
150g of plain flour
150g of light muscovado sugar
3 large eggs
150g of unsalted butter
2 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
The grated rind of 1 orange


Begin by melting the butter. place the bread, flour, salt, cloves and sugar in a food processor and process until you have fine breadcrumbs, Place in a bowl and stir in the marmalade, melted butter, grated orange rind and finally the eggs.
Butter a 1 litre pudding basin and place a small disc of parchment paper in the bottom. Pour in the mix and wrap several layers of clingfilm around the basin in order to prevent water leaking in during the steaming process.
Steam for 3 to 4 hours, ideally in a steamer but as long as you have wrapped the clingfilm well, you'll find the basin can sit comfortably in a deep saucepan with water coming up no more than halfway up the side of the basin. Whether you are using a steamer or a regular saucepan, make sure it doesn't boil dry by topping up with boiling water whenever you need it.

Notes:
You can substitute lemon marmalade for Seville orange but if you do, omit the ground clove and add a 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger.