Christmas Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 kg packet mixed dried fruit

• 500 g dried fruit of your choice

• 125 g packet glace ginger - finely chopped

• 3 tbsp mixed spice

• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

• 1 cup port

• 1 cup sweet sherry

• 2 1/2 cups dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup treacle

• 250 g butter - softened

• 3 cups dried breadcrumbs

• 3/4 cup plain flour

• 8 eggs

• 200 ml milk

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 1 cup overproof dark rum

• custard -to serve

• ice cream - to serve

1. Combine dried fruits, ginger, spice, vanilla, port, sherry, brown sugar and treacle in a large bowl. Mix well and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

2. Rub butter, breadcrumbs and flour together in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in milk, eggs and fruit mixtures.Set aside to rest for at least 3 hours.

3. Fill a pan with water and bring to the boil. Add a 70 cm square of washed calico to pan and boil for 10 minutes. Wring out well. Immediately brush one side of calico with oik, then dust with remaining flour.

4. Lay calico in a large colander, then spoon in mixture. Gather material around pudding mixture, avoiding any deep pleats, then tie closed with a triple thickness of kitchen string.

5. Fill a large heavy-based pan with 5 cm of water and set over medium heat. Suspend pudding over simmering water using a wooden spoon or piece of dowel. Cover with 3 layers of foil and cook for at least 5 hours.

6. Hang pudding in a cool, dark place overnight to dry. Gently peel cloth from pudding - skin will darken on standing. Sprinkle pudding with a little run each day for a week.

Serve warm with custard or ice cream (or why not both)