Grease an individual pudding basin of approx 250ml capacity with extra butter. A dariole or ramekin would be suitable alternatives – just check the capacity is large enough.

Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy then measure in all the rest of your ingredients apart from the mincemeat and rum. Fold these in once the mixture has come together.

Spoon into your prepared basin and cover with a greased and pleated layer of baking parchment then one of foil. Secure under the rim with string. Crumple the paper and foil up around the string to help prevent water sip page into the pudding.

Place the prepared basin into a small, preferably heavy saucepan which will dissipate the heat evenly as it slowly cooks. Pour boiling water to about 1cm below the string and put on a low heat. You just want a bubble or two to break the surface every few seconds.

Put on the lid and cook for 3 hours, checking periodically that the heat has remained even and the water hasn’t bubbled away. Remove the foil and paper and check that the pudding is well risen and springs back when gently pressed in the centre. If not, recover it and return to the pan for another 30-60 minutes.

You could serve the pudding at this point but if you are making ahead then allow it to cool to room temperature then remove and replace the paper, foil and string for fresh. Store somewhere cool and dark for upto a month and reheat by steaming in the same way as above for 30 – 60 minutes until the pudding is warmed through to the centre.