Ingredients

• 390g (2 1/4 cups) raisins
• 200g (1 1/4 cups) currants
• 180g (1 cup) pitted prunes, chopped
• 1 orange, rind finely grated
• 250ml (1 cup) dark rum
• 150g (1 cup) plain flour
• 1 tablespoon Chinese five spice
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 250g unsalted butter, chopped, softened
• 160g (1 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 70g (1 cup) fresh breadcrumbs
• Candied orange rind, to serve (optional - see notes)

Sticky toffee sauce

• 215g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 80ml (1/3 cup) pouring cream
• 50g unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Spiced rum custard

• 500ml (2 cups) milk
• 250ml (1 cup) pouring cream
• 4 egg yolks
• 100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Chinese five spice
• 2 tablespoons dark rum

Method

• Step 1 Preheat oven to 160C/140C fan forced. Grease ten 250ml (1 cup) pudding moulds.
• Step 2 Place raisins, currants, prunes and rind in a large bowl. Bring rum to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Pour over fruit mixture. Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Step 3 Sift flour, five spice, ginger and bicarb into a bowl. Use electric beaters to beat butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until combined (batter may curdle slightly). Fold in fruit mixture, flour mixture and breadcrumbs. Divide batter among prepared moulds.
• Step 4 Place a disc of baking paper over surface of each pudding. Cover with foil. Place the moulds in a deep roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into pan to come halfway up sides of moulds. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the puddings comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Turn puddings out onto a wire rack.
• Step 5 Meanwhile, for toffee sauce, place sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, swirling pan, for 5-7 minutes or until dark caramel. Carefully whisk in cream, butter, ginger and salt. Remove from heat. Set aside.
• Step 6 For rum custard, place milk and cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer (do not boil). Remove from heat. Whisk yolks, sugar, cornflour and five spice in a bowl until pale and creamy. Slowly pour in milk mixture, whisking constantly, until combined. Return to pan. Stir over medium heat for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon (don’t let mixture boil). Remove from heat. Stir in rum.
• Step 7 Divide custard among serving bowls. Place a pudding in each bowl. Spoon over toffee sauce. Top with candied rind, if using.