Caramel ginger steamed pudding with brandy custard

Cook half the sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling the pan often, for 3 minutes or until sugar is deep golden. Remove from heat; carefully pour in the water all at once (mixture will boil). Return to heat; cook for 3 minutes or until caramel has mostly dissolved. Stand for 5 minutes.

Grease a 1.5-litre pudding steamer and lid; line base of steamer with baking paper.

Sprinkle two-thirds of the crystallised ginger over the base of steamer; drizzle with honey.

Beat butter, remaining sugar and spices in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in sifted flours and remaining crystallised ginger, then milk and cooled toffee, in two batches.

Pour pudding mixture into steamer. Cover steamer with the lid (or pleated baking paper and foil secured with string). Place steamer in a large saucepan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the steamer; cover pan with a tight-fitting lid. Boil pudding for 1½ hours, replenishing the water as necessary to maintain its level. Remove steamer from pan; stand for 10 minutes before inverting pudding onto serving a plate.

Meanwhile, make brandy custard (see below).

Serve pudding with custard.

Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into a medium saucepan, then add milk and cream; cook, stirring, over medium heat for 3 minutes or until mixture comes to a gentle simmer. Remove from heat. Whisk egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a medium heatproof bowl until combined. Strain hot milk mixture over egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to cleaned pan; cook, stirring, over low heat for 2 minutes or until custard thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Stir in brandy.