This recipe was given to me by Penny Kidson.  It was her grandmother Emma Kate Lock’s (nee Bower) recipe and she lived from 1896-1956 in England.

This makes one large or two medium puddings.  The last possible day to make this pudding is on stir up Sunday (the sunday before first advent) but you can make it months or even years in advance if you would like.  Once made, store in a dark, cool place.

1½ lb dried mixed fruit
8oz suet
6 oz fine breadcrumbs
1 oz self raising  flour
1 large carrot (grated)
2 oz peeled apple (grated)
1 medium peeled potato (grated)
¼ nutmeg (grated)
10 oz soft dark brown sugar
zest and juice of one lemon
3 eggs (beaten)
Brandy, rum or whisky to moisten and mix

1. Grease the pudding bowl(s) with a hard fat like butter, lard, or suet.  Cut a circle of greaseproof paper to fit top of basin and grease that too.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients in a big bowl
3. Mix in the beaten eggs, lemon juice and alcohol of your choice
4. Fill the basin(s) to the top (the pudding will not rise) pressing down to remove any air
5. Place circle of paper on top and then cover the top of the basin with a cloth that comes over the edge of the bowl a few inches all around.  Tie it on with a piece of string.
6. Steam for 8 hours or pressure cook for one hour and steam for five hours.  The pudding will not look rich and dark if the pudding is cooked completely in a pressure cooker.  If you are not fussed by the colour, just pressure cook for 2 hours.
7. When the pudding is cold replace the greaseproof paper and the cloth with clean ones.
8. When you want to eat it, steam it for two hours to thoroughly warm it through (or pressure cook for 20 minutes or microwave for about three minutes on high heat).  The idea is that it should be piping hot and soft.  Serve with cream or brandy-cream or brandy-butter.

If you don’t eat it for Christmas in the year it was cooked, don’t worry, it will last and be the better for it.  However, to keep it moist, steam it for two hours in the summer, replacing the greaseproof paper and the cloth once again.  As above, steam it into life at Christmas before you eat it.

For more on Christmas puddings and Stir Up Sunday, click here.