Christmas Pudding

This really is a figgy pudding as it includes dried figs, as well as all the usual dried fruit. The fig seeds bring a hint of a crunch to the finished pudding, which makes for a first-rate texture. Make and steam it at least a month in advance, so that it has time to mature.

Ingredients:

• 275g soft brown or white breadcrumbs
• 100g dried apricots, chopped (to about the same size as the raisins)
• 100g dried figs, chopped (to about the same size as the raisins)
• 225g currants
• 225g seedless  raisins
• 225g sultanas
• 75g high quality candied peel, finely chopped
• 50g almonds, finely chopped
• 225g  light or dark muscovado sugar
• 225g  shredded suet
• ½ tsp  salt
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

• 1 Orange, zest and juice
• 1 Lemon, zest and juice
• 1 eating  apple, cored and grated
• 3 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
• 150ml stout or similar dark beer
• 150ml milk
• 4 tbsp brandy
• butter, for greasing pudding bowls

Method:

• Place all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix together thoroughly.
• Add the wet ingredients and mix together well with your hands (a spoon doesn’t do the job half as well).
• Divide the mixture between two greased 1½ litre/2½ pint heatproof pudding bowls, filling almost to the rim, then smooth down the surface.
• Cover each bowl with a large square of greaseproof paper, then cover that with a large square of aluminium foil. Tie the two sheets tightly into place under the rim with string, leaving long ends of excess string to make a handle. Loop one of the excess string lengths over the pudding basin and slide underneath the taut string holding the sheets in place on the other side. Bring up the string and firmly knot with the other piece of excess string, to form a secure handle to lift the pudding in and out of the water.
• Leave the puddings somewhere cool overnight before cooking.
• To cook, stand both puddings on a trivet in a large, deep, heavy-based pan (or each pudding in a separate pan). Pour boiling water into the pan(s), enough to come about halfway up the sides of the bowls.
• Cover the pan(s) with a lid or a dome of foil and boil for seven hours. Check the water level regularly, topping it up with more boiling water as necessary to keep the bowls half submerged.
• After seven hours, remove the bowls from the pan and leave to cool. Untie and remove the foil and greaseproof sheets and replace with clean, dry sheets of both greaseproof paper and foil.
• Store in a cool, dry place (or freeze if you prefer, though they will keep perfectly well for a year or more unfrozen). To reheat at Christmas-time, return to a pan containing a few inches of boiling water, cover and steam for two hours, checking the water levels now and then, until completely heated through.