• Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.
• Grease a medium baking dish, roughly 24cm x 18cm x 5cm / 9 x 7 x 2 inches, with a thin layer of butter or cooking spray.

Making the pudding

• Add the vinegar to the milk, stir and set aside for a few minutes.
  1 teaspoon white vinegar, 180 millilitre (¾ US cup) milk
• Add the eggs, white sugar, softened butter and apricot jam to a large mixing bowl.
  2 large eggs , 150 grams (5.3oz) white sugar, 90 grams (3.2oz) butter, softened, 100 grams (3.5oz) fine apricot jam
• Using an electric hand mixer, beat the mixture on high for about 3 minutes, until it looks light and creamy, with no obvious buttery lumps remaining.
• Add the milk and vinegar mixture and beat again until combined. The mixture may look a little loose at this stage, which is fine.
• In a separate bowl, sift together the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
  120 grams (4.25oz) plain flour, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, ½ teaspoon salt
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and beat on the lowest speed until just combined. Stop as soon as you no longer see dry flour. Do not overmix.
• Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean, the centre feels firm to the touch and the edges are just starting to pull away from the dish.

Make the sauce

• About 10 minutes before the pudding is done, add the cream, evaporated milk, butter, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla to a saucepan.
  120 millilitre (½ US cup) double cream, 120 millilitre (½ US cup) evaporated milk, 100 grams (3.5oz) butter, 4 tablespoons brown sugar, 4 tablespoons white sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Heat over medium heat, stirring now and then, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. The sauce should be hot and pourable, but it does not need to boil. Remove from the heat.

Assemble the pudding

• As soon as the pudding comes out of the oven, use a cake tester, skewer or the tip of a sharp knife to poke holes across the surface.
• Pour the hot sauce slowly and evenly over the hot pudding. If your dish is quite full, pour on half the sauce first, wait a minute, then add the rest.
• Let the pudding stand for 10–15 minutes so the sauce can soak in before serving.
• Serve warm with custard, vanilla ice cream, pouring cream or lightly whipped cream.