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1. Take a one-litre capacity heatproof pudding bowl and grease well with butter. Place flour, pinch salt and diced butter in another bowl. Using the tips of your fingers, rub butter into flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
2. Stir in fresh breadcrumbs, dried fruit, baking soda, mixed spice and sugar. Make a well in the centre of these ingredients. Add golden syrup, egg and milk to the well and stir to combine. Pack mixture into greased pudding bowl. Cover surface of pudding with a circle of baking paper, cut to fit, then cover bowl tightly with foil.
3. Place pudding bowl in a large sauce-pan, then pour hot water into the pan until it comes three-quarters of the way up the side of the bowl. Cover pan and bring water to the boil. Turn heat down to simmer. Steam pudding for 3 hours.
4. Remove from saucepan to cool in pudding bowl. Store in the bowl, if possible, or remove the cold pudding from its bowl and wrap in greaseproof paper. Store in an airtight container in a cool place or refrigerate if necessary.

Tip: Maturing time for a traditional pudding is four to six weeks - after this it's best to freeze the pudding for later. The best way to reheat steamed pudding is by re-steaming in the bowl for 2 hours. You can also wrap pudding in foil and reheat in a medium oven for 1 hour or microwave for 5 to 10 minutes or until warmed through.

Tip: Douse pudding with brandy, whisky or rum to add extra flavour. or, taking great care, flamb (ignite to flame the alcohol) the pudding before eating.

Tip: Serve with vanilla custard, icecream or whipped cream, as desired.