Brandy Sauce

Try this deliciously simple sauce with your Christmas pudding - it's easier than custard (I always manage to scramble the eggs in custard) and more substantial than brandy butter. Based on a simple white sauce, this brandy sauce is a doddle to make.

Make a roux. If you don't know what that means, melt the butter in a small saucepan on medium-low heat. When it's all melted, sift in the flour a bit at a time - whisk it to incorporate each addition. When all the flour is in, add a little milk and blend that in. Add more milk, blend it. Keep doing this until all the milk is in - we do it in stages to avoid the formation of big gloopy lumps. Finally, add the sugar and stir to dissolve, then mix in the brandy. Use the sauce straight away, or reheat it when needed.