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 flour and salt into the large mixing bowl and rub in the lard until you have a fine breadcrumb consistency.
Add the sugar and stir in thoroughly.
If using rhubarb cut into 2cm lengths. If using apples or pears, peel, core and slice them. If plums, remove the stones and roughly chop.
Place your chosen fruit into the mixture and ‘stir in’ and then mix with sufficient milk to make a fairly stiff mixture.
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, making sure the pleat is place in the centre of the basin. Secure the foil with string tied round the rim of the basin, ensuring 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.
Cover the saucepan and steam for 2 to 3 hours making sure you check the level of the water and top up from the kettle if necessary.
Allow to cool slightly before taking the pudding out of the hot water.
Remove the covering and turn out onto a serving dish. Serve with cream or custard.
