Boozy Fig & Ginger Pudding with Hot Rum & Ginger Sauce

Method

1. Grease a 2-litre pudding bowl and line the base with a circle of baking paper.
2. Grease a large sheet of baking paper and lay it on top of a large sheet of foil, margarine side up. Fold a pleat in the middle of each sheet.
3. Roughly chop 125g of figs and set aside. Place the remaining figs, margarine and 75ml of the reserved rum syrup into a food processor and whizz until smooth.
4. Spoon the mixture into a large bowl, add the chopped figs, together with the remaining pudding ingredients and mix thoroughly.
5. Tip the mixture into the pudding basin, cover with the buttered paper-foil sheet, tie with string and trim.
6. Place the basin in a large saucepan, with a piece of scrunched-up foil at the bottom (to prevent the basin touching the base of the pan). Fill the pan with boiling water so it comes halfway up the sides of the basin. Cover and simmer for 3 hrs, topping up the water as needed.
7. Remove and leave to cool.
8. To make the sauce:
9. Blend the cornflour with 6 tbsp of cold milk.
10. Heat the remaining milk until almost boiling and add it to the cornflour mixture, stirring continuously.
11. Return to the pan and stir over a moderate heat until thickened. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 1–2 minutes, still stirring. Pour over the pudding and serve