Christmas Pudding

I’ve already got this recipe on my (sort of) foodie website. But it’s Christmas! Almost. I didn’t want to wait till December. What the heck, it should be Christmas all year round.  For personal reasons, I’m still not writing anything new. I just like to visit my online friends and comment, or discover new friends and comment. So in the meantime here’s another classic that gets an airing.

I can tell you first hand that this pudding is divine.  The lady who gave the recipe to me was a neighbour and a friend. I haven’t had a chance yet to make it for myself because I misplaced the recipe and I’ve only recently found it again.  I’m not a fan of crystalised fruit and this one only has ginger. I can live with it.

 I’m sad to say that my friend is no longer living but  I am so glad that her pudding has a chance to make new friends and carry on the legacy.   It’s important for both the texture and the flavour of the pudding to store it for a week before Christmas.

• 250 grams each of sultanas, raisins and currants
• 60 grams lemon peel
• 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
• ½ cup brandy or rum
• 1 teaspoon each of salt, cinnamon, ground cloves, nutmeg
• 310 grams minced suet
• 200 grams bread crumbs
• 250 grams brown sugar
• 60 grams unsweetened chocolate
• 60 grams finely chopped crystalised ginger
• 60 grams almond meal
• 1 grated apple
• 5 eggs
• ½ teaspoon bicarbonate soda mixed in ¼ cup of milk

Place fruit peel rind and dried fruits in a basin and pour over brandy or rum and stir. Cover with plastic wrap or put in a large screw top jar allowing it to steep for 1 week.

Sift flour, add salt, spices into large bowl. Add marinated fruit, suet, bread crumbs, brown sugar, chocolate, almond meal, ginger and grated apple and add remaining liquid, stir with a wooden spoon adding beaten egg a bit at a time. Dissolve soda in milk and mix in thoroughly. Place in greased steamer. Cook 5 to6 hours (keep checking water level). Or if you divide mixture up into two puddings, steam for 4 hours.  Remove pudding from steamer. Make sure you cool it completely. Cover pudding with greaseproof paper and (this is vital) store it for a week in a cool dry place until Christmas day.  Reheat it by steaming for an hour. Serve with custard.

Serves 12.