No one in our family likes the traditional fruit laden Christmas pudding, it’s too heavy, especially after the Christmas lunch blow out. The one I make is deliciously rich and fruity with a light texture and it works brilliantly with my Boozy Rum & Orange Sauce.

Makes: 1 x 3 pint or 2 x 1 1/2 pint puddings. Enough for 12 people
Preparation Time: 30 minutes + overnight soaking +20 minutes
Cooking Time: 4 hours + 1½ hours on the day
Effort Level: dead easy

Ingredients:
175g sultanas
175g raisins
100g dark glace cherries
75g dried figs
75g dried apricots
1 lemon
1 orange
1 medium carrot
3 eggs
300ml light brown ale – I use Badger light golden ale
4 tbsp Cointreau or Grand Marnier
100g fresh white breadcrumbs
100g flour
100g beef suet – vegetarians use grated unsalted butter
100g ground almonds
100g muscovado sugar
50g flaked almonds
1 tsp mixed spice

Equipment:
Large mixing bowl
Food processor (optional)
1 x 3 pint or 2 x 1 1/2 pint plastic pudding bowls with lids
2 x large saucepans with lids
2 pastry cutters or ramekins to stand puddings on
2 x £1 coins, thoroughly scrubbed and sterile
Lemon squeezer
Fine grater

HERE’S WHAT YOU DO:
Step One: – Soaking The Fruit
Finely chop the apricots, figs (removing their stalks) and cherries.
Tip into a large mixing bowl with the other fruits.
Add the finely grated orange and lemon zest and squeeze in their juice.
Pour over the liqueur and ale and mix well.
Cover with cling film and leave somewhere cool overnight.

Step Two: – Oven Steaming The Puddings
Fill and boil the kettle, butter the pudding basins.
Next grate the carrot and stir into the soaked fruits.
Beat and add the eggs.
Finely grate/blitz the bread and add with all the dry ingredients and stir.
The mixture will be sloppy – don’t worry, this is normal.
Spoon into the prepared basins adding a coin for luck then make a wish!
Put a pastry cutter/ramekin in the saucepan and sit the pudding on top.
Half fill the saucepans with boiling water and cover with a lid.
Steam gently for 4 hours, topping up with boiling occassionally.

Step Three: – Storing The Puddings
Leave the puddings to cool.
Store the basins in a cool dark cupboard until Christmas.

Step Four:Re-heating The Puddings
Steam the basins over a pan of simmering water for 1 1/2 hours.
Serve with Boozy Rum & Orange Sauce.

Preparing the fruit

Soaking in alcohol

It’s all in the mix

Steamed puddings