Countdown to Christmas

Christmas Pudding

Ingredients

275 g currants

110 g sultanas

110 g raisins

25 g candied peel

1 apple, cored and chopped

25 g chopped almonds

50 g Brazil nuts, roughly chopped

1 orange, grated zest only

1 lemon, grated zest only

50 g self raising flour

2 eggs

110 g suet

110 g brown breadcrumbs

225 g dark brown sugar

2 tbsp dark rum

2 tbsp brandy

100 ml stout

1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 tsp mixed spice

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Start preparation the day before

Put the suet, breadcrumbs, spices and sugar in a large bowl, stir to combine then add the dried fruit, apple, nuts, peel and orange and lemon zest. Mix well.

Measure out the rum, brandy and stout, add the eggs and beat well. Add the liquid to the fruit mixture and stir well. cover the bowl and leave to soak overnight.

Next day stir in the flour and spoon the mixture into a greased 1.2 lt pudding basin. Cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper and then tin foil, tie with string.

Place the pudding in a steamer over a pan of simmering water and steam for 8 hours. Check the water level every now and then and add some boiling water as necessary.

When the pudding is cooked, cool it completely and remove the foil and greaseproof paper, replace with fresh greaseproof paper and store in a cool dark place.

To reheat:

Steam for 2 hours over simmering water or microwave for 41/2 minutes.