CHRISTMAS PUDDING
Christmas is not complete without a Christmas pudding! Make it on “Stir up Sunday’ where families gather to stir the mixture, make a wish, and add a coin to the batter.
Ingredients:
450g mixed dried fruit
25g mixed candied fruit peel, finely chopped
1 small cooking apple, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1 Tbsp orange zest
1/2 Tbsp lemon zest
2 Tbsp fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup brandy, more as needed
55 grams self-rising flour, sifted
1 tsp ground mixed spice
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
110 grams shredded beef or vegetarian suet
110 grams dark brown sugar
110 grams fresh breadcrumbs
25 grams whole almonds, coarsely chopped
3 medium eggs
Method
Place the dried fruit, candied peel, apple, and orange and lemon zest and juices into a large mixing bowl. Add the brandy and stir well. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to marinate for a couple of hours, preferably overnight.
Lightly butter a Christmas Pudding mould
In a large mixing bowl, stir the flour, mixed spice, and cinnamon together. Add the suet, sugar, breadcrumbs, and almonds, and stir again until all the ingredients are well mixed. Add the marinated dried fruits and stir again.
In a small bowl, beat the eggs lightly, then stir quickly into the dry ingredients. The mixture should have a fairly soft consistency.
Spoon the mixture into the greased pudding mould, gently pressing the mixture down with the back of a spoon. Cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper or baking parchment, then a layer of aluminium foil. Tie securely with string, wrapping the string around the basin, then loop over the top and then around the bowl again. This will form a handle, which will be useful when removing the pudding from the steamer.
Set a steamer over a saucepan of simmering water, place the pudding in the steamer, and steam the pudding for 7 hours. Make sure you check the water level frequently, so it never boils dry. The pudding should be a dark brown colour when cooked.
Remove the pudding from the steamer and allow to cool completely. Remove the paper, prick the pudding with a skewer in a few places, and pour in a little extra brandy.
Cover with fresh greaseproof paper and retie with string.
Store for at least 4 to 5 weeks in a cool, dry place until Christmas Day.
On Christmas Day, reheat the pudding by steaming again for about an hour.
Enjoy!
