※ Christmas Pudding (adapted from Nigella Lawson)

Now waiting till Xmas day to boil again for 3 hours. I plan on serving it with custard.

Ingredients

• 150 gram(s) Currants
• 150 gram(s) sultanas
• 150 gram(s) Prunes (scissored into pieces)
• 175 ml port
• Strip of orange peel cut finely (I used scissors as I was using them for the prunes anyway)
• 100 gram(s) Plain flour
• 125 gram(s) white breadcrumbs(I used panko)
• 150 gram(s) suet
• 150 gram(s) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon(s) cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 1 lemon(s) (zest and juice)
• 3 medium egg(s)
• 1 medium cooking apple (peeled and grated)
• 2 tablespoon(s) golden syrup or molasses 

Method

Put the currants, sultanas and scissored prunes into a bowl with the Port, stir mix then cover with clingfilm and leave to steep overnight or for up to 1 week.

When the fruits have had their steeping time, put a large pan of water on to boil, or heat some water in a conventional steamer, and butter your heatproof plastic pudding basin (or basins), remembering to grease the lid, too.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the remaining pudding ingredients, 

Add the steeped fruits, scraping in every last drop of liquor with a rubber spatula, and mix to combine thoroughly.

Scrape and press the mixture into the prepared pudding basin, squish it down and put on the lid. Then wrap with a layer of foil (probably not necessary, but I do it as I once had a lid-popping and water-entering experience when steaming a pudding) so that the basin is watertight, then either put the basin in the pan of boiling water (to come halfway up the basin) or in the top of a lidded steamer (this size of basin happens to fit perfectly in the top of my all-purpose pot) and steam for 5 hours, checking every now and again the water levels.

When it’s had its 5 hours, remove carefully and beware of steam burns and, when manageable, unwrap the foil, and put the pudding in its basin somewhere out of the way in the kitchen

On the big day, rewrap the pudding (still in its basin) in foil and steam again, this time for 3 hours. 

Eight hours combined cooking time might seem a faff, but it’s not as if you need to do anything to it in that time.

To serve, remove from the pan or steamer, take off the lid, put a plate on top, turn it upside down and give a tap to help unmould. Serve with custard or icecream.

The kitchen inspector approves.