To make the punch sauce, place the orange rind in a small saucepan, add 140ml water and bring to the boil.
Simmer for 10 minutes and then set aside to cool and infuse for at least an hour while you make the pudding mixture.
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.
Place the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat with the electric hand whisk until light and fluffy.
Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and beat in thoroughly after each addition.
Sift in the flour and fold in.
Add the raisins, lemon zest and candied peel and stir in until evenly incorporated.
In the other mixing bowl whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks and carefully fold into the pudding batter.
Place the mixture into the prepared pudding basin and 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 3 hours making sure you check the level of the water and top up from the kettle if necessary.
Allow to cool slightly before removing from the pan and turning out onto a serving dish.
For the punch sauce, remove the orange and lemon peel from the infused water.
Place the caster sugar and infused water in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes.
Melt the butter in another saucepan and when melted add the flour.
Stir vigorously until smooth and continue to cook for a few minutes.
Add the infused syrup and heat gently stirring until thick.
Add the cognac, dessert wine, rum, and orange juice and continue to stir until incorporated. The final sauce should be the consistency of single cream.
