Old fashioned christmas pudding
This recipe is a variation on my mother's Christmas pudding. Christmas in the UK at the end of the war and the years of rationing that followed meant a shortage of dried fruit so carrots were a part replacement! But her pudding was the highlight of the meal. This is my version I make every year.
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
- 175 gm plain flour
- 15 grams cocoa powder
- 2 tsp mixed spice
- 150 grams breadcrumbs
- 250 grams shredded suet
- 900 grams mixed dried fruit that includes
- some shopped candied peel
- 100 grams roughly chopped prunes
- 4 lightly beaten eggs
- 8 tbs Guinness
- 3 tbs treacle
- zest and juice of an orange
Method
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Slowly add the in all the remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly.
- Grease 2 medium sized bowls and divide the mixture between them.
- Cover with greaseproof paper and steam for at least 6 hours or longer, checking regularly that the pans do not boil dry. The longer the pudding cooks the darker and tastier it will be.
- Make the pudding at least a month before needed and store in a cool place. (I often keep the 2nd one for several months or even a year. They only improve with keeping.)
- Reheat on the day for at least another 4 hours.
- Serve with brandy butter, custard or whipped cream.