Fig Pudding No. 1

A plain steamed pudding of the English type, held together by crumbs and butter rather than eggs or flour. The chopping of the figs is the step that decides whether it slices or falls apart.

• Chop the figs to a pasteDried figs left in coarse pieces will not bind, and the pudding collapses when turned out. Trim the stems, chop until nearly a paste, or pulse briefly in a food processor. Soaking them ten minutes in the warm milk and syrup makes this easier.
• Half a pint of milkIf the book follows American measure that is 1 cup; if imperial, 10 fl oz. Start with 1 cup and add more only if the mixture is drier than a thick, spoonable batter.
• Rusk crumbsRusk is a twice-baked dry bread, so rusk crumbs are dry crumbs, not fresh ones. Fresh bread crumbs absorb less liquid; if using them, hold back a couple of tablespoons of milk.
• SyrupIn British-influenced books "syrup" of this sort usually means golden syrup or a light cane syrup rather than maple or corn syrup, though either will work. At one tablespoon it is there mostly for colour and a little chew rather than for sweetening.
• One ounce of sugar is not a mistakeThat is about 2 tablespoons. The figs and syrup carry the sweetness, and the result is much less sweet than a modern pudding. Increase it only if you know your figs are dull.
• ButterSix ounces is a stick and a half, and it should be soft enough to cream with the sugar. Cold butter will stay in lumps and the pudding will be greasy in patches.
• The basin and the steamingUse a heatproof bowl of at least 2 pints (a quart), well buttered, filled no more than two-thirds. Cover with buttered parchment and foil tied under the rim, stand it on a trivet or folded cloth in a pot with water halfway up the sides, and keep the water at a bare simmer for the full 90 minutes, topping up with boiling water as needed.
• Yield and servingServes four to six. Rest it five minutes before turning out, and serve hot with custard, a thin cream, or a lemon or brandy sauce; without a sauce it reads as dry.