My Grandmother's Christmas Pud
by
Beverley Sutherland Smith
It
makes enough for 12 but of course can be halved, however any leftover is great
just warmed again in the microwave and served with lashings of custard.
Ingredients
1/4
cup plain flour
pinch
salt
250
g sultanas
250
g currants
150
g raisins
1/2
cup mixed peel
60
g blanched almonds
250
g soft brown sugar
grated
rind 1 lemon
1
teaspoon ground nutmeg
1
teaspoon cinnamon
250g
fresh breadcrumbs made from white bread
250
g suet, (you can buy packet suet in the supermarket)
5
large eggs
1/3rd
cup brandy
Mix all the fruits and nuts with sugar, lemon rind and spices. Add crumbs, suet and plain flour with salt and separate with your fingers. Beat eggs and brandy and mix and then give it a really good stir. It is traditional that everyone who goes past the pudding on the bench should stir once for luck. You can leave it a day ready mixed if you like. Pack into a buttered china pudding basin and put a piece of buttered baking paper on top, then a double thickness of foil should be tied over this. Leave an end on the string you tie it with so you have a lever to balance it when getting the bowl out of the pot. Boil in a big pot with water to come about 2/3rds of the way up for 5 hours, topping up the water as necessary. Leave to cool a bit, then remove carefully, let cool completely and store refrigerated. On the day boil again in water for about 1 hour and 15 minutes to heat it through.
(c) 2002 Beverley Sutherland Smith
Beverley has written 26 fabulous cookery books- see Amazon or your local book seller for titles. She also runs wonderful cookery classes - for more details contact
29 Regent St, Mt Waveley Vic, 3149
PH: 03 9802 5544, Fx: 03 9802 7683