Fig Pudding I

Ingredients

• ⅓ lb beef suet
• ½ lb figs, finely chopped
• 2⅓ cups stale bread crumbs
• ½ cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ tsp salt

Method

Suet pudding works because fat — rendered into a creamy emulsion with sugar — suspends the fruit and bread throughout the crumb whilst steaming keeps the whole thing moist. Begin by rubbing the suet between your fingers until it breaks down into a fine, grain-like texture; this isn't creaming in the modern sense, but rather a physical breakdown that distributes the fat evenly. Add the chopped figs and work them through so the pieces are coated and separate.

Soak the breadcrumbs thoroughly in the milk — they should absorb it completely and turn to a paste. This matters: dry crumbs will make the pudding dense and mealy. Beat the eggs with purpose until they're pale and noticeably thickened, then add them to the breadcrumb mixture along with the sugar and salt. Mix until homogenous. The egg acts as both binder and leavening agent; the air you've beaten into it expands during steaming, giving the pudding a tender crumb rather than the dense hockey-puck you'd get otherwise.

Fold the suet-fig mixture into the breadcrumb base gently — you're aiming not to deflate the eggs. The whole mixture should be loose enough to settle evenly in the mould, with no obvious pockets of fat or bread.

Pour into a well-buttered pudding mould (or a ceramic bowl if you lack a proper one). Cover tightly with buttered parchment or cloth; this stops condensation from pooling on the surface and waterlogging the top. Set the mould on a trivet or folded cloth inside a large pot, pour boiling water halfway up the sides of the mould, and steam for three hours. The water should maintain a gentle rolling boil throughout — top it up if needed.

The pudding is done when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the mixture no longer wobbles when you nudge the mould. Turn it out immediately onto a warm plate; it releases cleanly if you've buttered properly. Serve with a sharp sauce — the acid cuts through the richness of the suet and brightens the fruit.