Nigel Slater midweek treat: sultana and ginger puddings

The recipe

Serves 4. Ready in 1 hour.

Sweet little puddings for a winter’s day, with golden sultanas, ginger and mixed spice. A jug of custard or cream to accompany them would be a thoroughly good idea.

Put 100g of sultanas in a small bowl, pour over 2 tbsp of sweet or dry sherry and set aside.

Using an electric mixer, beat together 120g of butter with 70g of light muscovado sugar and 70g of caster sugar until soft and light.

Melt a little butter in a saucepan, then brush it over the insides of 4 x 200ml pudding basins. Dust them with flour, shaking them to remove any excess, then set aside. Heat the oven to 160C/gas mark 3.

Break 2 eggs into a bowl and beat them lightly with a fork to mix the yolks and whites. Slowly introduce them to the butter and sugar, mixing well between each addition.

Sift 1 level tsp of ground ginger and 1/2 a tsp of mixed spice into 120g of self-raising flour, then add it to the butter and sugar, making sure it is thoroughly incorporated. Stir in the sultanas and any sherry in the bowl, then divide the mixture between the 4 buttered and floured basins.

Smooth the surface of each pudding with the back of the spoon, then place them on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes, until springy and golden. Remove from the oven and let them settle for 5 minutes.

Run a palette knife around the sides of the tins, then turn each pudding upside down on a shallow dish or plate and shake firmly to release. Serve with that jug of cream.