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the best christmas pudding

From Josceline Dimbleby.  This is a lighter Christmas pud as I'm not keen on the dense, black ones.  I have altered the original recipe by omitting candied peel, which I don't like, and substituting dates and figs.  Christmas pudding ought to be figgy anyway :)  I have also decreased the quantity of suet as otherwise it comes out rather greasy.

butter for greasing
3oz glace cherries
3oz dried figs
3oz dates
12oz raisins, Lexia if you can get them
6oz sultanas
6oz currants
3oz flaked almonds
8oz fresh white breadcrumbs
6oz shredded suet
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 whole nutmeg, grated
6 eggs
150ml stout
at least 3 tbsp brandy, rum or whisky

Butter the pudding basins (total of 3 pint capacity) (The plastic ones from Lakeland with lids are perfect).
Chop up all the fruit.
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a huge Mason Cash mixing bowl.
Whisk up the eggs and stir them into the dry mixture.
Stir in the stout and spirits until you get a dropping consistency.
Add some more brandy just in case.
Spoon into the basins, wrap with buttered foil and make handles out of string.
Steam in a pan of water - 6 hours for a 2-pint basin, 4 hours for a 1-pint basin.  Don't forget to top up the pan with hot water.  And open the kitchen window.
Once cooked, leave to cool, change the wrapping and store in a cool, dark place.  I have kept mine for over a year.

To reheat, steam for an hour or so, or microwave (carefully!) or fry slices in butter.
I serve mine with a mixture of cream and advocaat.

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posted by purple_peril on 05 Nov 07 - 11356 views


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