Steamed pudding with lemon and blood-orange curd

Serves 6

Serve the puddings with a large dollop of mascarpone on the side (Lisa Barber)

For the curd (makes about 500g/1lb)

Finely grated zest and juice of 2 unwaxed lemons
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 blood orange
140g/41/2oz caster sugar
6 egg yolks
180g/6oz unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the steamed pudding

120g/4oz unsalted butter, plus extra to grease
Plain flour, to dust
120g/4oz caster sugar
1 large egg
60g/21/2oz self-raising flour
A small pinch of salt
1tsp baking powder
30g/1oz ground almonds
The zest of one blood orange
The zest of one unwaxed lemon

To finish

A generous dollop of mascarpone

Start by making the curd. Mix the zest and juice, sugar and egg yolks in a heatproof bowl until well combined. Stand the bowl over a pan of simmering water (or pour into a heavy-based saucepan and place over a very low heat if you are confident you can keep the direct heat low enough).

Stir continuously with a wooden spoon as the mixture warms and gradually thickens. Don't allow it to boil or it will curdle. Once the curd is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, after about 7-10 minutes, remove from the heat. Now stir in the butter, cube by cube. Strain the curd through a fine sieve into a clean bowl and set aside while you make the pudding.

For the steamed pudding heat the oven to 190C/ 375F/Gas 5. Then butter and flour six individual pudding bowls. Spoon in a tablespoon of the curd into each bowl. Set on a baking tray and set aside. Heat the oven to 190C/ 375F/Gas 5. Cream the butter and sugar together until soft, light and creamy. Add the egg and beat well. (The mixture may appear to separate, but it will come back together.)

Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder, combine with the almonds and fold into the pudding mixture with the zest. Divide the mixture among the pudding bowls (no more then two-thirds full). Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until well risen, golden and springy to the touch.

Remove each of the puddings from the oven, leave for a while until they are cool enough to touch, then run a small round-ended knife around the inside of each bowl and turn each on to a warm plate. Serve the puddings at once with a large dollop of mascarpone on the side.