BOILED CHRISTMAS PUDDING 

INGREDIENTS:

• 250g raisins 

• 250g sultanas 

• 185g currants 

• 185g mixed peel 

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind 

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice 

• 2 tablespoons brandy 

• 250g butter 

• 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed 

• 5 large eggs

•  1 1/4 cups plain flour

•  ½ teaspoon nutmeg 

• ½ teaspoon mixed spice 

• 250g ( 5 1/2 cups ) day-old white breadcrumbs, loosely packed 

BOILED CHRISTMAS PUDDING RECIPE:

Chop raisins, and combine in a large basin with sultanas, and currants. peel, lemon rind, lemon juice and brandy, mix well Cover, stand overnight. Beat butter and sugar in large asin of an electric mixer until combined Beat in eggs one at a time. Add creamed mixture fruit mixture with sifted dry ingredients and breadcrumbs; mix well. 

To Boll: Boil for 6 hours and a further 1 hour on the day of serving Dip preprepared pudding cloth into boiling water; use rubber gloves to protect hands, wring excess water from the cloth. Have a cup of plain flour close to the cloth. Spread hot cloth out on the bench, quickly rub flour into cloth to cover an area about 38cm in diameter, and leave flour thicker in the centre of the cloth, where the skin will need to be thickest.

Place the cloth in a colander or basin and place the mixture in the centre. Gather ends of cloth together, hold the pudding up, and pat it into shape with your hand. 

Tie pudding securely with string, as close to the pudding mixture as possible tie a loop in string to make the pudding easier to lift. Pull the ends of the cloth tightly to make sure the pudding is as round as possible. Have ready a large boiler three-quarters full of rapidly boiling water. Gently but quickly lower pudding into the water, quickly replace boil rapidly for the specified cooking time Replenish the boiler with boiling water it evaporates, there must be enough water for the pudding to move and the water should be deep enough for the pudding to float at all times 

After the required cooking time,  use the handle of a wooden spoon to int pudding from the water place the handle through the looped string Lit carefully but quickly from the water, do not put the pudding down as it is too soft at this stage Suspend pudding from a drawer or cupboard handy

It is important the pudding can swing freely without touching anything Twist ends of cloth around supporting string to keep wet ends away from the pudding If pudding has been cooked correctly, the cloth will begin to dry out in patches within a few minutes Leave pudding to dry overnight Next day, when the pudding is cold remove from the handle. cut string. loosen the cloth away from the top of the pudding scrape away any excess flour, and leave at room temperature for a day or two ( time will depend on the humidity of the weather ) or until the cloth is completely dry around the top of the pudding Tie pudding cloth again with string place pudding in airtight plastic bag refrigerate until required 

To serve pudding hot: Remove pudding from the refrigerator about 12 hours before it is to be reheated Prepare for reheating the pudding about 3 hours before it is to be served 

Have a large boiler three-quarters full of boiling water, gently lower the pudding into the boiler, and boil for a specified time Suspend the hot pudding for 10 minutes. fuck ends of cloth into string away from the top of the pudding Have a serving plate and scissors ready Place pudding on the bench, near to plate, cut string quickly, and gently ease cloth away from the pudding until about a quarter of the pudding is uncovered Using a towel to protect hands, gently invert on to serving plate slowly and gently pull cloth away Leave pudding further 20 minutes at least before cutting The longer the pudding is left standing, the darker the skin will become 

To serve pudding cold: Reheat pudding the day before it is to be served. Proceed as above, then leave the pudding to become completely cold. This will take at least 12 hours, cover with plastic food wrap, and refrigerate 

Pudding cloth: Buy half a metre of unbleached calico 122cm wide, cut it in half, and trim to give two square cloths Soak the calico in cold water overnight Next day boil for 20 minutes, then rinse well Cloth is now ready for use After pudding has been reheated and removed from cloth soak cloth in cold water, boil and rinse well 

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