Grease the pudding basin with butter and place a buttered disc of baking paper in the bottom of the basin. This is to ensure the top of your pudding won’t stick when you turn it out.
Scatter 15g of the breadcrumbs around the inside of the pudding basin – they should stick to the butter that has greased it.
Place the ground almonds in the large mixing bowl. Add the egg yolks, eggs and almond extract and beat together with the electric hand whisk until well mixed.
Stir in the sugar, then the breadcrumbs and lemon zest.
Gradually stir in the melted butter and beat the mixture thoroughly.
Fill the bottom half of the basin with the pudding mixture.
Spread a layer of apricot jam over the centre of the pudding mixture (don’t take it to the edges).
Fill up the pudding basin with the rest of the pudding mixture.
Cover with a disc of buttered baking paper.
Make a pleat in a piece of kitchen foil and cover the basin with it, ensuring that the pleat is placed at the centre of the basin. Secure the foil with string tied under the rim of the basin, making sure you create a ‘handle’ with which you can remove the pudding from the hot water.
Place the pudding in the large-lidded saucepan and fill with boiling water two thirds up the sides of the pudding basin. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to a simmer.
Cover the saucepan and steam for 2 hours making sure you check the level of the water and top up from the kettle if necessary.
To make the sauce place the lemon peel, sugar and water in the small saucepan and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
Remove the lemon peel and pour the syrup into the measuring jug.
Clean the small saucepan and heat the butter until melted.
Stir in the flour and continue to heat for a few minutes.
Pour the lemon syrup into the roux and heat until thickened.
Add the Madeira and heat through.
At the end of the cooking time for the pudding, turn off the heat and let the pudding sit in the basin for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto a plate and serve with the hot pudding sauce.
