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 cream in the saucepan and bring to the boil. Take off the heat and add the ground almonds, stir in and leave to soak for a few minutes.
Place a sieve over a bowl and then place a double layer of muslin over it.
Pour the cream and almond mixture over the muslin and bring the edges of the muslin over the mixture and squeeze the liquid out until you have 280ml of almond cream in the bowl.
Place the breadcrumbs into the other large mixing bowl.
Place the almond cream back into the saucepan and heat until simmering.
Pour the almond cream over the breadcrumbs, stir, cover and leave to soak until the mixture is cold and the breadcrumbs have absorbed all the liquid.
Place all the other ingredients into the breadcrumb mixture and beat until they are well incorporated.
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.
