CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Courtesy of BBC Food www.bbc.co.uk/food

Serves 10

Preparation Time: Overnight

Cooking Time: Over 2 hours

This Christmas pud recipe has a special ingredient to help keep it moist - grated carrot! The fixture is left overnight before steaming to allow the flavours to develop.

Ingredients

• 1 large carrot, grated
• 100g/3 oz ready-to-eat dried prunes, pitted, chopped
• 100g/3 oz ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped
• 340g/12 oz mixed raisins, currants and sultanas
• 1 orange, grated zest only
• 1 lemon, grated zest only
• 85g/3 oz dark soft brown sugar
• 100g/3 oz butter softened
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 55g/1 oz fresh brown breadcrumbs
• 110g/4 oz plain wholemeal flour
• 1 tbsp ground mixed spice
• 200ml/7 fl oz Guinness
• 2 tbsp black treacle

Directions

1. Mix together the carrot, prunes, apricots, raisin mixture and grated orange and lemon zest.wouldn't run out. Leave for one hour (one is great but so is up to 4 hours).

2. In a separate bowl beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, gradually beat in the eggs; stir in all the remaining ingredients including the fruit, cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. Spoon into a 900g/2lb pudding basin, cover with a pleated piece of greaseproof paper and secure with string. Steam for 3-4 hours, ensuring that the pan does not boil dry.

4. Serve while still hot.