TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS PUDDING

TRADITIONAL OLD FAMILY RECIPE

CAN MAKE INDIVIDUAL PUDDINGS OR LARGER ONES FOR THE DAY

225g sultanas
225g currents
175g raisins
50g mixed peel
1 orange zest
1 orange juiced
3 tbsp milk
2 tbsp brandy
175g butter melted
150g plain flour
150g fresh bread crumbs
2 tsp mixed spice
1 tsp nutmeg grated
Pinch of salt
100g muscovadvo sugar
3 eggs beaten

In a bowl mix the raisins, sultanas, currents & mixed peel with the zest and juice of the orange, add the milk and brandy and stir well, leave to one side for the fruit to absorb the juices, approx 30 minutes, (don't worry we are going to add lots of brandy over the weeks while it matures).  Put the butter in a pan to melt slowly.  In a separate bowl sieve or whisk the flour, spice, nutmeg and salt together.  Once the butter has cooled slightly add it to the fruit and stir well, add the beaten eggs, then add the sugar and lastly add the spiced flour and mix gently but well so there are no flour pockets. 

Grease you pudding basin with butter fill 9/10ths, cover with a pleated piece of tin foil and tie down with butchers string, making a handle at the same time for ease.  To cook a large pudding, place on a trivet in a deep pan with water half way up the pudding basin, bringing to the boil and then turning down to a simmer for 3-4hrs.  If you want to make small individual puddings then I put them in deep roasting tin, halfway filled with boiling water and bake for 1 hr.