Mollenhagen Plum Pudding

Family plum pudding I enjoyed from when I was little till I was given the recipe to start making it myself...

• Ready In: 3 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 Pudding

Ingredients

• 2  cups self-rising flour, sifted
• 1  cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon mixed spice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ginger
• 375  g sultanas
• 375  g raisins
•  glace cherries, as wanted
• 6  strong  black tea bags
• 1  teaspoon vanilla essence
• 150  butter, melted
• 1  teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Directions

1. boil cloth in saucepan. take it out and wring out. dust inside the cloth with flour.
2. Into a bowl, place the first 9 ingredients. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and add 1 1/2 cups of brewed tea and vanilla. Add bicarb to mix whilst holding saucepan over dry ingredients.
4. (bicarb will foam) Add a small amount of salt for flavour balance.
5. Consistency of cake batter.
6. Place cloth in a bowl for mix to be pored into. Allow enough room at the top of the pudding for some expansion.
7. Using really large pot, bring water to the boil.
8. Tie pudding up with a string, tight.
9. Place in boiling water about half full pre pudding, water should cover majority of pudding whilst cooking.May need topping up. Water should be at a soft boil.