'stir and Make a Wish' Christmas Pudding

A fruity christmas pudding that is not too rich or heavy. I have been making this recipe year after year. Traditionally the pudding should be made on 'Stir up sunday' which is the suday before Advent ( sometime at the end of November). Everyone in the house should stir the pudding and make a wish. This recipe is enough to make 2 puddings of 2 pints, of course you can half the recipe but I love giving one away as a gift. Start 3-4 days before because the fruits need soaking to soften.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 25 mins
• Yields: 2 2 pint puddings

Ingredients

• 250  g raisins
• 250  g sultanas
• 85  g  stoned dates, chopped
• 85  g  pitted prunes, chopped
• 100  g  glace cherries, halved
• 75  g  dried apricots, chopped
• 75  g dried cranberries
• 4  tablespoons brandy
• 2  oranges, zest and juice of
• 2  lemons, zest and juice of
• 50  g hazelnuts
• 200  g  softened butter
• 200  g dark muscovado sugar
• 4  eggs, at room temperature and beaten
• 2  apples, peeled cored and diced
• 100  g self-raising flour
• 1  teaspoon ground ginger
• 1  teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 -2  teaspoon cinnamon
• 2  teaspoons mixed spice
• 100  g  fresh white breadcrumbs

Directions

1. mix the dried fruits ( chopped as stated in the ingredients) in a bowl and add the alcohol, juices and zests. Stir, cover with a tea towel and leave to soak for 3-4 days, stiring everyday.
2. On the day that you willl be making the pudding, place the hazelnuts in a frying pan ( no oil) and cook gently until lightly toasted and golden. Chop roughly.
3. Butter the 2 pudding basins ( 1.2 liter/ 2 pint capacity each) with some softened butter, then place a disk of grease proof paper on the bottom.
4. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes ( I use hand held electric whisk).
5. Gradually add the beaten eggs, mixing well after each addition ( don't worry if it curdles, this won't effect the pudding).
6. Tip in the soaked fruits, chopped nuts and chopped apple. stir well with a wooden spoon or hands.
7. Sift in the flour and spices, stir in the breadcrumbs and mix. CALL ALL THE FAMILY MEMBERS TO STIR THE MIXTURE AND MAKE A WISH!
8. Fill the basin with the mixture leaving a 2.5 cm/ 1 inch at the top. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
9. Cover with a double thickness of buttered greaseproof paper which has been pleated in the middle. This is done to allow the steam in the pudding to expand. Wrap a double lenght of string around the bowl and secure.
10. Overlap the pudding with foil and secure under the ends of teh greaseproof paper.
11. At this point I tie more string to form handles so that I can remove the basin from the hot water easily.
12. Place the pudding basins in a deep pan ( I place my pudding on a shallow cookie cutter on the bottom of the pan so that no direct heat hits it). Pour in 5 cm/2 inches boiling water around it ( I do a third of the basin in the water) return to a simmer and simmer for 2 hours, topping up with more boiling water as needed.
13. Cool, discard paper and rewrap the top with clean greaseproof paper, string and foil .
14. store for up to 3 months in a cool, dry airy place ( or refrigerator).
15. On christmas morning, reheat in microwave ( without the foil, just greaseproof paper) for 6-8 minutes then rest for 2 minutes before turning out.
16. OR: re-steam again using the cooking method but for 1 1/2 hours.