Irish (Suet Free) Christmas Pudding

Well just as I promised this is my Mum's Christmas Pudding Recipe which she has used for donkey's years and has always proved a massive success in your house on Christmas morning and as presents for friends and family.

Ingredients:

6oz/175g self raising flour

1 level tsp mixed spice

1tsp ground cinnamon

1/2tsp ground nutmeg

8oz/225g fresh white breadcrumbs

12oz/350g dark brown sugar

375g currants

375g sultanas

4oz/125g mixed cut peel

4oz/125g cherries, washed, dried and halved

2oz/50g chopped almonds

finely grated rind of 1 orange

finely grated rind of 1 lemon

8oz/225g margarine, melted and cooled a little

3 large eggs

2tbsp brandy

1/2pt/275ml Guinness or stout

• Sieve the flour and spices into a large bowl
• Add the breadcrumbs, sugar, fruit, nuts, orange and lemon rind and mix thoroughly.
• Beat together the eggs, brandy and guinness.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the melted margarine and the egg mixture. mix thoroughly with a wooden spoon.
• Cover and leave overnight in a cool room.
• Next morning prepare 2 x 2 1/2 pt pudding bowls by greasing well with butter.
• Grease two large pieces of greaseproof paper and make a large pleat crossways in it.
• Give the pudding mixture a good stir once more.
• Divide the mixture between the two pudding bowls, weighing each to make sure that they are the exact same size and weight so that they both have the same cooking time.
• Push down the mixture well down in the bowls and bang them on the table so that there are no air gaps. 
• Make a little dip in the centre of the mixture in the bowl before covering so that the puddings don't push the lid off the pot when they start rising.

• Cover the bowl with the well buttered greaseproof paper, making sure that the crease runs down the middle of the bowl.
• Tie a long piece of strong around the bowl very tightly as close to the rim as possible.

• Place the plastic lid over the bowl and wrap the paper up and over the lid.
• Fill two large pots to about a half way up the pudding bowls and bring to a strong simmer. 
• Place an old saucer at the bottom of the pot to lift the pudding from the base of the pot and allow it to cook all the way around.  Make sure that there is no air bubbles caught under the saucer.
• Cook the puddings for 7 hours with the water simmering all the time.  You will need to top up the water on a regular basis.
• On Christmas Day cook the puddings for one hour more.

Because there is so much alcohol in these puddings if one is left uneaten it can be kept for the following year so long as it is kept in a clean airtight bowl.  We have done this many times and it has been perfect always and even improves over the year!!

Linking for the first time (hoping this will work) to Cosmos and Cottton.

Hope you enjoy.  There is still plenty of time left to cook yours.

Rosie xx