Christmas or Plum Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups raisins
• 1 1/2 cups golden raisins
• 1 cup dried wild blueberries (use currants instead if available)
• 1/2 cup marishcino cherries (glacé cherries can be used - halve the cherries.)
• 1/2 cup orange marmalade (with large chunks of peel)
• 1/2 cup dried pineapple (chopped in small pieces)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup dates (chopped)
• 1/2 cup walnuts (chopped)
• 1/2 cup almonds (slivered)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or mixed spice if available)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 large apple (Granny Smith - peeled and grated)
• 1 large carrot (peeled and grated)
• 8 ounces butter (2 sticks melted)
• 1 lemon (juice and grated zest)
• 1 orange (juice and grated zest)
• 4 large eggs (whisked)
• 2 fluid ounces brandy (or whiskey)
• 1 cup Guinness Stout

Instructions

1. 1

   Chop the dried pineapple into small pieces and mix into the marmalade. Cover and let stand for 1 hour before mixing the pudding.

2. 2

   Add the raisins, golden raisins, dried wild blueberries, dried cranberries, and chopped dates to a large mixing bowl. Remove the stems from the maraschino cherries, cut into halves, and add to the fruit in the bowl.

3. 3

   Add the chopped walnuts and slivered almonds to the mixing bowl.

4. 4

   Add the brown sugar and bread crumbs and mix well.

5. 5

   Sieve the flour, salt and spices, then stir into the prepared fruit and nuts.

6. 6

   Add the grated apple and carrot, the grated lemon and orange peel.

7. 7

   Pour the melted butter over the fruit mixture and combine well together.

8. 8

   Whisk the eggs together in a small bowl. Add the fruit juices and brandy and whisk again. Add the marmalade and pineapple mixture to the eggs. Mix together well before adding the egg mixture to the prepared fruit and nuts in the large bowl. Mix well together.

9. 9

   Pour the Guinness stout over the fruit mixture and combine together gently, but thoroughly, mixing the stout throughout the pudding mixture.

10. 10

    Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Leave the mixture for at least 12 hours before cooking, to allow the flavors time to blend.

11. 11

    Brush the inside of two glass pudding bowls, that can withstand boiling temperatures, with melted butter. This recipe makes one 1 and 1/2 quart size pudding, and one larger 2 and 1/2 quart size.

12. 12

    Place approximately two-thirds of the pudding mixture in the larger bowl, and the remainder in the smaller glass steaming bowl.

13. 13

    Cover the bowls with a large piece of parchment paper, with a fold creased into the center. Secure around the rim of the bowl with cotton thread. Cover the entire bowl and parchment paper cover in aluminum foil.

14. 14

    Using cotton twine or thread create a handle around the prepared bowl for ease of lifting in and out of a crockpot. Place the bowl in a crockpot large enough for the pudding bowl to stand a minimum of a 1/2-inch away from the walls of the crockpot basin.

15. 15

    Add water to the crockpot to cover three-quarters of the height of the pudding bowl. Cook on high power for 1 hour, then reduce to low heat for an additional 5 hours for the smaller pudding and 6 hours for the larger pudding.

16. 16

    Remove the bowl from the crockpot and allow to cool for two hours before unwrapping the pudding.

17. 17

    Place a plate under the cooking bowl, turn it over, and allow gravity loosen the pudding onto the plate. Wrap the pudding in aluminum foil when fully cooled. Store in an air-tight container for 4 to 6 weeks prior to eating. To reheat the pudding, place back into a steaming bowl. Prepare the bowl as outlined above and res-team on high for 1½ hours in a crockpot.

18. 18

    Serve in slices with egg custard or whipped cream, or brandy butter.