Ingredients

• 125 g butter
• 250 ml boiling water
• 500 ml dry sherry
• 750 g mixed fruit
• 65 g citrus peel
• 20 ml mixed spice
• 170 g sugar
• 10 ml bicarbonate of soda
• 450 g plain flour

Method

1. The day before the pudding is needed, take a large basin and add butter and boiling water, stir until dissolved.
2. Add the sherry, fruit, spice and sugar. Stir well.
3. Sift the soda through a strainer into the mixture. Stir again.
4. Add the sifted flour.
5. Blend all thoroughly. It will look very wet; cover and leave overnight.
6. Next day turn into a well-greased steamer (2 litre) and keep on the boil for 3 hours.
7. Turn out carefully, first running a knife around the inside of the pudding dish, as the pudding will be soft.

Best served: hot with custard and brandied cream

Preparation Notes

If you don’t have a steamer, I’ve found covering a metal bowl and placing it into a pasta pot (one with a separate internal strainer) works well. The water level should be set so it’s about 1 cm below the top of the bowl when boiling.

Halve the quantity for a pudding for ‘a good family pudding’.

Sherry can be happily substituted for port or any other liqueur. Also works without the alcohol if desired.

Storage

• Storage: Refrigerator for up to 14 days
• Freezer: No
• Reheat: Microwave