Apricot and Orange Steamed Pudding

Butter a 4 ½ cup capacity pudding basin and cut a circle of baking paper to fit over the top of the pudding.

Apricots: Put the ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Cool then spoon into the bottom of the prepared basin.

Sponge: Cream the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Combine the orange zest, juice, milk and the vanilla and fold into the eggs alternating with the flour and cardamom. Spoon the mixture over the apricots, smooth the top and cover with the circle of baking paper. Make a pleat in a piece of tin foil. This will allow the pudding to rise. Tie the tin foil firmly onto the basin with kitchen string.

Place a small cake rack or a folded tea towel in the bottom of a large saucepan and put the basin on top. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1½ hours, adding extra boiling water to replenish if needed.

Remove the basin from the pot and turn the pudding out onto a shallow serving dish.

Combine the golden syrup and the boiling water and drizzle over the pudding before serving. Serve with custard or cream.