Steamed fruit pudding with chocolate syrup

8 tbsp butter/ margarine
2 eggs
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
1 medium apple, peeled and diced
¾ cup cherries, canned, remove pips
2/3 cup refined flour (maida), sieved
½ tsp baking powder
3 tbsp cocoa powder
Chocolate syrup
100 gm plain chocolate
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp butter
½ tsp vanilla essence

Prepare a steamer or half fill a deep saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Grease four individual pudding basins and sprinkle each one with a little of the brown sugar to coat well all over.
Mix apple and cherries. Divide equally among the prepared pudding basins. Place remaining brown sugar in a mixing bowl. Add margarine, eggs, refined flour, baking powder and cocoa and beat until combined and smooth. Spoon mixture into basins and cover each with a double thickness of foil. Steam for about 45 minutes, topping up the boiling water as required, until puddings are well risen and firm.

To make the chocolate syrup, mix chocolate, honey, butter and vanilla in a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring, until melted and smooth. Run a knife around the edge of each pudding to loosen it. Turn onto individual plates at once. Serve immediately topped generously with chocolate syrup.