My mum has always made the Christmas pudding for our family, and it never disappoints.  I remember when we were children the excitement was not so much eating the pudding but finding coins hidden inside.  It’s not safe now to do such a thing, but i now cherish this pudding not only for its delectable taste but for all the memories such a tradition holds.  

I love to serve this pudding warm with custard and brandy cream.  Optional but highly recommended!

Ingredients

Serves 10-12

50cm round calico material, soaked in hot water

Cooking twine

2 cups boiling water

2 dsp butter

2 tsp baking soda

2 cups flour, extra for dusting

2 tsp mixed spice

½ cup sugar

2 cups mixed fruit

Method

Bring a large deep stock pot of water to a rolling boil.

Plunge the round of calico material into the boiling water. Remove carefully and when safely able to handle the material, squeeze out excess water.  Dust liberally with flour to coat the material on one side. Shake off excess flour and lay the floured cloth upright over a bowl.

Pour the boiling water into a bowl, add the butter and melt.  Add the baking soda and stir to dissolve.

Mix the dry ingredients together and add the mixed fruit, stir to combine.

Pour in the wet ingredients and stir well until combined. Do not be alarmed that the mixture looks a little sloppy.  It is supposed to be like this.

Holding the material over a bowl, pour the pudding batter into the cloth slowly ensuring that you hold the cloth so you can can scoop up all the edges to form a round pudding shape.

Secure the pudding cloth tightly.  Make sure you have not missed any cloth as you don’t want any holes.

When tightly secured plunge into the boiling water and cover with a lid.  The pudding needs to stay off the bottom of the pot so you need enough water at all times for the pudding to float and rotate when cooking.  If you do need to top up the water always use boiling water.

Keep the water at a moderate temperature.  

The pudding will take at least 2 hours.  When you press the pudding with your fingers it should feel spongy not gooey!

Drain and cool slightly before carefully peeling off the cloth.

It can be eaten hot or cold.

It can also be made up to a week in advance and store in the fridge in the cloth. To reheat my mother insists that you bring a large pot of water to the boil.  Plunge the pudding into the water and cook for 30 minutes. Do not reheat in the microwave!!

Drain and cool slightly and peel the cloth off slowly.

Enjoy!