It’s Christmas pudding time!

We’re at mid-November, and right now is the perfect time to make your Christmas pud. If you don’t usually make it, try it: it’s wonderful, all the more succulent and sweet for having made it yourself.

Last year my sister, who is a sensational cook, used Nigel Slater’s Kitchen Diaries as a starting point and put her own delicious twist on it. It is an absolutely perfect Christmas gift, and I haven’t heard of one person who wasn’t delighted to receive it. So set aside a lazy day in November, get the kids involved, and throw yourself into proper pudding making with gusto!

What you need

Makes 3 litre-sized puddings, the standard pudding basin size which serves six to eight. Double it if you want to make 6, or use smaller containers for more gift value.

• 3 pudding basins with lids, butter them on the inside.
• 3 circles of greaseproof paper, cut into size of lid
• 3 clean euro coins, to put inside for luck

Ingredients

1. 300g sultanas
2. 300g raisins
3. 250g mixed dried apricots and figs, chopped
4. 100g candied peel, chopped
5. 100g glace cherries, halved
6. 150ml brandy
7. 2 apples, grated
8. Juice and grated zest of 1 orange
9. Juice and grated zest of 1 lemon
10. 4 eggs
11. 50g softened butter
12. 250g shredded suet
13. 350g soft brown sugar
14. 2 tablespoons of treacle
15. 250g fresh breadcrumbs
16. 175g self-raising flour
17. Heaped tsp mixed spice
18. 75g roughly chopped walnuts

Method

Soak all the dried fruit in the brandy the night before, giving it a good stir now and again. The next day, mix the grated apples, zest and juice of orange and lemon, beaten eggs, suet, sugar, breadcrumbs and flour in a large bowl. Stir in the soaked fruit, mixed spice and chopped walnuts. Divide that mixture between the buttered pudding bowls and tuck in the euro coin to each mixture. Cover with a layer of pleated greaseproof paper (draw a circle an inch-round larger than the lid, then make a fold in the middle).  Put the lids on. Boil the puddings in three or four inches of water. Make sure water doesn’t burn dry. You’ll need a big pot, or do them separately. They should be boiled for 3 1/2 hours – after which your house will be filled with the gorgeous aroma of Christmas. Cool the puddings down, and store until Christmas. As soon as they’re cooled, you can wrap them up whatever way you like – try brown paper, a little red ribbon, some holly and a cinnamon stick.