This is a recipe passed down from my Great Aunt. It’s certainly quicker and probably cheaper to buy a pudding , but both my parents love this pudding so I’m happy to keep the tradition alive.

• 750g Mixed Fruit
• 100g Pitted Prunes
• 100g Dates
• 250g Butter
• 1 1/2 Cups Brown Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Rum or Brandy
• 1 Cup Plain Flour
• 1 tsp Mixed Spice
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Nutmeg
• 1/2 Bi Car Soda
• 50g Slivered Almonds
• 1 Cup White Bread Crumbs

1. Cream butter & sugar. add eggs one at a time beating well after each egg is added. Mix in fruit and alcohol, shift dry ingredients, then add slivered almonds and bread crumbs.
2. Place mixture into a greased 8 cup pudding basin lined with baking paper. Cover with a circle of foil and place the lid on the basin.
3. Place basin in a pot and fill with boiling water until it comes halfway up the basin. Boil for 6 hours and check water level remained the same. add more water if necessary.
4. At this point I let the pudding cool and refrigerate until I need it on Christmas Day. Then on Christmas Day I boil for another 2 hours. Alternatively I have boiled the pudding for 7 hours, left it to cool in the pot overnight, then microwaved the pudding on Christmas Day. Both options work!