Ingredients
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2 cups sultanas (golden raisins)
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1 1/2 cups raisins (chopped)
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1 cup mixed peel, chopped (mixed candied fruit)
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1 lemon, zest of
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1 orange zest
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1/2 cup blanched almond, chopped
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250 g butter
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1 cup brown sugar
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1 cup plain flour
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
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1/2 teaspoon mixed spice (I think pumpkin pie spice is similar)
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4 eggs
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1/2 cup milk
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200 ml stout beer (Guiness is OK)
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50 ml brandy
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1 large carrot, grated
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1 cup prune (chopped)
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2 cups soft white breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Grease 2 large pudding basins.
- Bring two large saucepans of water to the boil with a trivet or rack in the bottom of each.
- (I actually use two old pottery saucers in the bottom of mine) Mix all dry ingredients together.
- Rub butter into dry ingredients with your fingertips, add prepared fruit and grated carrot.
- Mix egg, milk, stout, brandy and rinds together.
- Mix the moist and dry ingredients together.
- (I find this easier to do with my hands).
- Place mixture in basins, allowing a little room at the top of the basins for the puddings to swell.
- Cover with greasproof paper, then two thicknesses of aluminum foil.
- Tie securely with string.
- Place the puddings into the prepared saucepans-- water should reach halfway up them-- and boil steadily for 5 hours.
- As the water boils away replace with more boiling water.
- On the day the pudding is to be served, boil for 1 hour mmore.
- Serve with cream, icecream, custard or brandy sauce (or all of these!).
- Last year, I discovered it works fine just to microwave individual slices rather than reheating for 1 hour.
- We also love the leftovers cold or re-fried in butter!