Ingredients:

475g mixed fruit

100g glace cherries halved

50g mixed nuts, roughly chopped

Zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon

1 carrot, peeled & grated

200ml stout

175g light brown sugar

50g golden syrup

175g white breadcrumbs

175g self-raising flour

175g suet

1 tsp mixed spice

2 eggs

 

 

For the pudding:

1. Mix the all the dry ingredients in a large bowl thoroughly.

2. Add the stout, syrup and egg and stir to combine. (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. 

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.