CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a traditional home-made pudding.


Ingredients:

65g/ 2 ½ oz Homepride plain flour

10g/ 2 tsps mixed spice

65g/ 2 ½ oz freshly made breadcrumbs

75g/ 3 oz muscavado sugar

75g/ 3 oz butter or margarine, melted

15g/ 1 level tbsp black treacle

2 eggs, size 3

60 ml/ 4 tbps old ale, stout or milk

Grated rind of ½ lemon

45g/ 1 ½ oz flaked almonds

125g/ 4 oz eating apples, peeled, cored and grated

50g/ 2 oz mixed peel, chopped

50g/ 2 oz currants

125g/ 4 oz sultanas


Procedure:

1. Have ready a steamer two-thirds full of fast boiling water or a large saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, one-third full.


2. Grease and base line a 1.1 ltr (2-pint) pudding basin and a sheet of foil or greaseproof paper for the top.
   
3. Sieve together the flour and mixed spice in a large bowl and add the breadcrumbs and sugar.
   
4. Stir in the remaining ingredients and beat together well for about 3 minutes.
   
5. Turn mixture into prepared pudding basin and cover with the greased foil or greaseproof paper. Tuck in securely round the rim, or tie with string.
   
6. Steam for 6 hours, taking care to add more boiling water to the steamer as necessary.
   
7. Cool, re-cover with clean greaseproof paper and store in a cool, dry place.
   
8. To serve steam for a further 2 to 3 hours. Remove from basin and flambé with brandy if desired.

Cook’s Notes:

Time: Preparation takes 30 minutes, cooking takes 6 hours.

Cook’s Tip: Mix may be prepared one day, refrigerated, then steamed the following day. The mixture may be steamed in two 850ml (1 ½ pint) pudding basins, each taking 4 hours to steam.

Serving Ideas: Serve with tangerine and Cointreau butter as an alternative to brandy butter. Cream together 75g (3 oz) unsalted butter and 75g (3oz) soft brown sugar. Beat in the grated rind of a small tangerine together with 15 ml (1 tbsp) tangerine juice and a dash of Cointreau to taste.