Christmas Plum Pudding

This is a fairly basic British Christmas plum pudding recipe but unlike other recipes it can actually have plums in it. Unfortunately the ingredient list is so long, it isn't easy to make it in less than industrial quantities! You can substitute a mixture of fresh and dried apricots, peaches, etc. for the plums and milk for the ale if you wish. Serve with brandy or rum butter.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 5 hr
• Total Time: 5 hr 30 mins
• Calories: 228 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅓ cup raisins
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 apple - peeled, cored and shredded
• 1 lemon, juiced and zested
• ½ cup dark brown sugar
• 1 small carrot, grated
• ½ cup chopped blanched almonds
• ⅛ cup ground almonds
• 2 ½ cups fresh bread crumbs
• 4 ounces shredded suet
• 2 ounces preserved stem ginger in syrup, chopped
• ⅜ cup halved candied cherries
• ⅜ cup dried currants
• ⅜ cup golden raisins
• 4 ounces candied mixed fruit peel, chopped
• 4 plums, pitted and chopped
• 1 ½ teaspoons mixed spice
• ½ cup ale

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine flour, bread crumbs, suet, eggs, carrot, apple, brown sugar, chopped blanched almonds, stem ginger, ground almonds, cherries, raisins, currants, golden raisins, mixed peel, plums, lemon juice and zest, mixed spice, baking powder and ale. Let each family member take a turn stirring and make a wish. If you have used more dry fruit than fresh, add a little extra ale to make the mixture less stiff.

Step 2

Grease 2 large or 4 small pudding basins. Fill with pudding mixture about 7/8 full. Cover tightly with greased waxed paper, then foil; secure with string. Stand pudding on a trivet in a large pot of boiling water that reaches halfway up the sides of the pudding basin. Steam puddings over medium-low heat in boiling water 10 hours for large puddings, 5 hours for small puddings, topping off water regularly until quite firm and set.

Step 3

If not serving immediately, let cool completely, then replace covers with fresh waxed paper and foil and store in a cool, dry place, basting from time to time with rum or brandy, for up to 3 months. To serve, reheat by steaming 2 to 3 hours.