Sussex pond puddings with mandarin English cream

1.Combine butter and sugar in a saucepan, stir over medium heat until butter melts (3-5 minutes). Set aside to cool, whisk in remaining ingredients, refrigerate until thick (1 hour).

2.Meanwhile, for suet pastry, combine all ingredients in a bowl (except milk), gradually add enough milk to bring pastry together, turn onto a work surface, knead gently to combine. Divide into 8 pieces, roll each into a 15cm round. Line 8 buttered 175ml metal dariole moulds with pastry. Fill three-quarters full with lemon sauce, fold excess pastry to meet in the middle, press to seal. Cover each with baking paper and foil, secure tightly with string. Place in a saucepan, pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up sides of moulds, cover with a lid and cook over medium heat until cooked through (1½ hours; top up with more boiling water if necessary).

3.Meanwhile, for mandarin English cream, bring milk to the simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk yolks and sugar in a bowl until pale. Add milk mixture, whisk to combine, return to pan and stir continuously over low heat until mixture thickly coats the back of a spoon (5-10 minutes). Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl placed over ice, stir occasionally until cool. Add mandarin juice and rind, refrigerate until chilled (1 hour). Just before serving, blend with a hand-held blender to add air, then spoon over hot puddings and drizzle with brown sugar mixture to taste.