For the candied orange:

1 orange

2 litres of water

1 kg of sugar

2 tbsp golden syrup

1 cinnamon stick

 

For the pudding:

475g mixed fruit

100g glace cherries halved

50g mixed nuts, roughly chopped

Zest of 2 oranges

1 carrot, peeled & grated

150ml mix of brandy, sherry, amaretto & port

50ml Cointreau (orange liqueur)

175g light brown sugar

50g golden syrup

175g white breadcrumbs

175g self raising flour

175g suet

1 tsp mixed spice

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 eggs

1 candied orange

 

For the candied orange:

1. Pierce the orange all over with a pin, boil the orange in 1 litre of water for 30 mins, then drain. 

2. Add the second litre of water to the pan, with the sugar and syrup, stir to dissolve the sugar then bring to the boil before adding the orange and cinnamon stick. 

3. Reduce to medium heat, cook for 30 mins with a lid, then remove the lid and continue to cook the orange for a further 30 mins.

4. Removed the orange from the liquid and allow to cool on a cooling rack overnight, reserve the cooking liquid. 

5. The following day bring the cooking liquid back to the boil, add the orange back to the saucepan, reduce the heat to medium and cook with the lid on for 30 mins, then off for 30 mins.

6. Remove the orange from the liquid, allow to cool on a rack. Reserve the cooking liquid, this makes a tasty orange cinnamon simple syrup, which you can add to desserts, cakes and hot chocolate.

 

For the pudding:

1. Mix the mixed fruit, cherries, orange zest and carrot in a large bowl, add the alcohol, stir to mix, then cover and leave to soak overnight. 

2. The next morning, mix together all of the dry ingredients then add them to the soaked fruit mix, add the eggs and stir. (All our family takes a stir turning and makes a Christmas wish, the kids love it!)

3. Grease a 1.5 litre pudding basin, placing a small circle of parchment paper in the bottom of the basin. Spoon the pudding mixture into the basin roughly halfway and add the candied orange. Cover the orange and fill the basin with the remaining pudding mixture. 

4. Cover the basin top with a piece of greaseproof paper and foil, tied with a piece of string. 

5. Add an upturned saucer into the bottom of a large saucepan, place the basin on top of the saucer, then fill the saucepan with water about 2/3 of the way up the basin, bring the water to a boil, then simmer, steaming the pudding for 6-8 hours. Don’t forget to top of the water if it gets low. 

6. Alternatively cook you pudding in a slow cooker, sit the pudding basin in the slow cooker, add boiling water about 2/3 up the basin, then cook on low with the lid on for 10-12 hours.

7. Allow your pudding to cool, I like to turn the pudding out, clean the basin then add the pudding back into the basin, then throughly wrap up the pudding, keep in a cool dry place until needed.

8. On the big day, steam in the same method on the hob for 1-2 hours, or in the slow cooker on low for approx 4 hours, then turn out ad decorate (i like to use a sprig of holly), to light pour over some warmed up brandy. Serve with Brandy sauce, or a cream of you choice.