Christmas pudding with citrus and spice

Try this fruity pud, which is served with orange custard cream, and makes the perfect end to the traditional festive meal.
- Cook:6 hrs
Prep 30 mins plus soaking overnight - Easy
- Serves: 10
Ingredients
Christmas pudding with citrus and spice Method
Step: 1 In a large mixing bowl mix the fruit, almonds, citrus zests, and the carrot with the brandy and orange liqueur. Then cover and let it soak overnight.
Step: 2 Mix all the dry ingredients, and then add to the soaked fruit mixture. Add butter Grating, and eggs then mix!
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Step: 3 Take a 1.5-litre pudding basin grease it with butter and rule the base with greaseproof paper. Now spoon in the mixture, press it down well, and make an empty with the back of the spoon in the center. With a round of greaseproof paper covering the surface, now cover the bowl with double-thickness greaseproof paper and foil and bind at the rim with twine. With an upturned saucer in the base, lower the pudding into a pan, now fill it with water till it comes midway up the edges of the bowl. Then steam for about 6 hrs, if necessary then topping it up with water.
Step: 4 As an alternative, steam in the oven. Let the pudding basin stand in a roasting tin filled with water, now cover it with a foil tent and cook for the same measure of time at 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Now check the roasting tin at times as the water may be need to topped up. Now to store, let it cool, and store it in a cool, dry cupboard. (This pudding will keep for up to about a year.
Step: 5 On the day, steam for around 1 hour before turning it out, garnishing with holly and serving with some extra-thick double cream or vanilla ice cream. As an alternative, try our Orange custard cream.