Azziria's journal

For posterity and future reference, here is my Christmas Pudding recipe.

This recipe came originally from an old British Gas recipe book that I found in a secondhand book box at a jumble sale run by my MIL. It makes a lovely fruity and not too stodgy pudding. The recipe says it serves 8-10 people (admittedly it is a rich dessert) but I make double this amount to feed this amount of people plus have enough left over for a small 'taster' pudding to have before Christmas (however I will admit to being a total piglet for Christmas pud!).

4oz(100g) raisins (if you can get the big juicy Lexia raisins, so much the better)
5oz (150g) currants
2oz (50g) sultanas
2oz (50g) chopped peel
4oz (100g) prepared apple (peeled, cored and chopped)
2oz (50g) brown sugar - I use dark muscovado
1.5oz(40g) shredded almonds
2.5oz (60g) breadcrumbs
2.5 oz (60g) plain flour
3 oz (75g) chopped vegetable suet
2 tsp (10 ml) mixed spice (a cinnamon/nutmeg etc mix, NOT curry spice!)
0.5 tsp (2.5 ml) salt
grated rind of half a lemon
2 eggs
2 tbsp (30ml) golden syrup
1 tbsp (15ml) black treacle
3 tbsp (45ml) milk
4 tbsp (60ml) Guinness, stout, or very dark ale

Put all the 'dry' ingredients in a large bowl (or bucket) and mix. Beat the eggs and add them, then add the syrup, treacle, milk and Guinness and mix well (remember to make a wish as you do so). Put into a well-greased pudding basin (1.5 pint), cover with greased greaseproof paper and then foil, and tie tightly with string. Steam for 6 hours. (After this the pudding can be stored for up to a couple of months to mature.) When re-heating, steam for a further 3 hours. Serve with cream (my preference) or brandy butter (if you have a really sweet tooth).

Traditionally we Brits pour a spoonful or two of brandy over the cooked pudding and set light to it as we bring it to the table. We also poke a coin into the pudding before serving (originally a sixpence, but now a fivepenny piece wrapped in foil for hygene purposes) - whoever finds it in their serving of pudding will have good luck in the new year.

In my attempt to prepare a healthy lunch from what I had in the cupboard and what the local shop round the corner had on sale, I seem to have hit the jackpot:

Grated carrot (2), chopped orange, and toasted flaked (slivered) almonds, tossed in a small amount of dressing made from one part wine vinegar to two parts olive oil, all served on a bed of raw baby spinach leaves.

A real case of the whole being more than the sum of the parts, and very fresh-tasting. Just don't forget the toasted almonds, because they add that little something that makes it special :-)