Steamed Chocolate And Almond Pudding with Malted Choccy Bit

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the beaten eggs. Now fold in the flour. If the mixture is too thick, add a little milk to loosen it to a dropping consistency. Divide the mixture into two bowls. Add the vanilla essence and ground almonds to one and the chocolate to the other. Put the mixture into your pudding basin alternately and at each place where the two mixtures meet, pop in a malteser. Continue until all the mixture and maltesers are used up. Cover with greased greaseproof paper or foil and secure with an elastic band around the rim. With some aluminium foil, fold up a piece long enough to place under the bowl and over the top. Put the foil in the steamer and put the bowl on top of it so the foil sits underneath and in the middle of the bowl. This will help you pull the bowl out when the pudding is cooked. Steam for 11/2 hours. Turn the pudding out and serve with the ice cream. Vanilla and bay ice cream: Heat the milk and cream to scalding point with the vanilla pod and bay leaf. split the pod and scatter the seeds into the cream. Leave to infuse for about 10 minutes. Beat the egg and egg yolk with the sugar. Remove the pod and bay leaf and pour the cream over the eggs. Return to the heat and gently stir until thickened. DO NOT BOIL. It should be of coating consistency. Strain to remove any bits of solid egg and then cool. When cool, transfer to your ice cream maker, or, freezer in a plastic container. DISCLAIMER(c) Copyright 1996 - SelecTV Cable Limited. All rights reserved. Carlton Food Network http://www.cfn.co.uk/