Jill's Dark and Fruity Christmas Pudding

Jill Brand a lead NFWI Cookery Judge, Denman Tutor and Home Economist has created this special festive pudding for Christmas

Ingredients

  • 225g Sultanas
  • 80g chopped Dried Apricots
  • 80g chopped Dates
  • 80g chopped Dried Mango
  • 80g chopped Glace Cherries
  • 3 tbsp Rum
  • 175ml Guinness
  • Zest and juice of 1 Lemon
  • 80g Vegetarian Suet
  • 115g Dark Brown Sugar
  • 3 tbsp Golden Syrup
  • 80g Plain Flour
  • 1 tsp ground Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground Ginger
  • 1 tsp ground Nutmeg
  • 1 large Egg, beaten
  • 50g white Breadcrumbs

Method

  1. Lightly butter a 1.2 litre pudding basin and place a disc of parchment in the base
    Put the dried fruit, cherries, rum, Guinness and zest and juice of a lemon in a large saucepan and bring to steaming, then remove from the heat and leave for 30 mins
  2. Add remaining ingredients to the saucepan and mix well
  3. Spoon the mixture into the pudding basin pushing down well. Cover top of the mixture with a circle of parchment and cover with a piece of foil with a pleat in the middle
  4. Tie string around the top of the basin
  5. Cook by placing in a large saucepan with a saucer in the base. Half fill with boiling water and steam for 4 hours; top up with boiling water as necessary
  6. When cooked allow to cool completely before wrapping in new foil and storing for 2 months.

Many thanks to Lakeland for the image to a WI recipe