Theodora Fitzgibbon’s Christmas Pudding
This is her christmas pudding recipe, which was published in Your Favourite Recipes from Theodora Fitzgibbon (published by Gill & Macmillan).
Makes 2 puddings 1.2 litre (2 pint size)
100g (4oz) plain or self-raising flour
2 tsp each cinnamon, mixed spice or nutmeg
350g (12oz) fresh breadcrumbs from bread not more than two days old (if you have a liquidiser they can be done in it)
50g (2oz) ground almonds
225g (½lb) brown sugar
1 carrot, grated
Rind and juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon
225g (½lb) each sultanas, seedless raisins and currants
100g (4oz) chopped glacé cherries
175g (6oz) chopped mixed peel (the whole peel is the best)
225g (8oz) grated suet or butter or oil
300ml (½ pint) Guinness
4 tbsp rum, whiskey or brandy
5 eggs
Put the prepared fruit and all dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Make a well in the bowl and add the grated rind and juice of the orange and lemon and grated carrot. Mix again. Beat the eggs and add them gradually, stirring well. Finally, add the stout and spirits, mixing together thoroughly. Add any charms. Put into greased basins, cover with greaseproof paper and then tie a cloth over. (If necessary they can be left overnight.) Steam or boil, with the water coming up to the rim, for seven hours, topping up with water as it runs dry. When cooked, uncover and let steam out.
Don’t be alarmed if they are not dark brown, this comes with age.
Re-cover lightly with greaseproof paper and the following day tie up with clean cloths. Before serving, steam or reboil for 2 hours.
Puddings can also be cooked in the oven in the following way: put the puddings in a large tin, three-quarters full of hot water. Cover the pudding completely with tin foil and bake at 150C/300F/gas 2 for six hours.
