Steamed Christmas Pudding with Suet, Stout and Brandy

What you need

• 150 g (1 cup) raisins
• 150 g (1 cup) sultanas
• 150 g (1 cup) currants
• 50 g (1/3 cup) mixed candied peel, chopped
• 1 orange, zest and juice
• 150 ml (2/3 cup) stout or dark ale
• 3 tbsp brandy, for the mixture
• 100 g (3 1/2 oz) shredded beef suet
• 100 g (2 cups) fresh white breadcrumbs
• 75 g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) plain flour
• 150 g (3/4 cup packed) dark muscovado sugar
• 1 tbsp black treacle, or molasses
• 2 tsp ground mixed spice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• butter, for greasing
• 3 tbsp brandy, to flame

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Put the raisins, sultanas, currants and peel in a large bowl with the orange zest and juice, the stout and the brandy for the mixture.

2. 2

   Stir, cover and leave at room temperature overnight so the raisins plump up.

3. 3

   Next day, add the suet, breadcrumbs, flour, sugar, mixed spice and salt to the bowl.

4. 4

   Whisk the treacle into the eggs and stir them through the bowl until every bit of dry mix is moistened.

5. 5

   Butter a 1.2 l (2 pint) pudding basin and spoon in the mixture, pressing it down and levelling the top.

6. 6

   Lay a sheet of baking paper on a sheet of foil, fold a 3 cm pleat across the middle and set it over the basin, foil side up. Tie it tight under the rim with string and make a string handle across the top.

7. 7

   Stand the basin on an upturned saucer in a deep lidded pan and pour in boiling water to come halfway up its side.

8. 8

   Cover the pan and keep the water at a gentle simmer for 5 h, topping up with boiling water about every hour so it never boils dry.

9. 9

   Lift out the basin, remove the wrapping and let the pudding cool completely.

10. 10

    Wrap it in fresh paper and foil. It keeps up to 3 months somewhere cool and dark, or refrigerated.

11. 11

    On the day, steam the pudding in the same way for 2 h until hot right through, then turn it out onto a warm plate.

12. 12

    Warm the brandy to flame in a small pan, pour it around the pudding, set it alight with a long match and serve once the flames die down.

Imported from deliciousmagazine.co.uk. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.