Method

​1 Grease your Pyrex bowl (deep bowl - minimum size of 2 pints/1.1 litres) with some butter

2 Cream the butter/margarine with the sugar in a mixing bowl using an electric whisk. Beat in the eggs (one at a time so it doesn't curdle) and the vanilla extract. Fold in the gluten-free flour. Use a little hot water or a splash of milk if the mixture appears to be too thick.

3 Place your 2 tablespoons of syrup at the bottom of the Pyrex bowl. Slowly spoon the mixture into the bowl on top of the syrup.

4 Cover the pudding by placing a circle of grease proof paper over the bowl, making a pleat in the paper to allow the pudding to expand. Tie it on tightly with string or an elastic band. Then add a circle of foil, also with a pleat and again tie it on securely.

5 Steam the pudding for 1.5 to 2 hours. Turn onto a warmed plate, and serve with custard or cream. Enjoy! See below for my guide to steaming.

One method is to use a steamer, which is a perforated pan that sits over another pan holding boiling water. Place the Pyrex bowl in the perforated pan and put on a tight fitting lid. Alternatively, use a very large saucepan with a tight lid and this is perfectly adequate. Here the Pyrex bowl is actually in the boiling water and so the base of the Pyrex bowl needs to be kept off the base of the pan. To do this, make a trivet of metal knives or forks placed cross-wise at the bottom of the pan, or place a saucer or soup plate upside down with the pudding basin on top. Pour in the boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the pudding basin.