Traditional Christmas Pudding

2¼ cups Australian seeded raisins, chopped

2¼ cups Australian sultanas

1 2/3 cups Australian currants

1 cup pitted prunes, chopped

1 cup mixed peel

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

½ cup blanched almonds, chopped

1 large carrot, coarsely grated

4 ¼ cups soft white breadcrumbs

1 cup white sugar

1 cup plain flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon mixed spice

4 eggs

¾ cup milk

1 cup St Agnes Brandy

½ cup stout, or orange juice

1 cup butter

Brandy Butter Sauce (for Pudding)

300ml St Agnes Brandy

1 egg white

100g butter

200g caster sugar

Brandy Custard

4 egg yolks

4 tablespoons caster sugar

2 cups milk

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

2 tablespoons St Agnes Brandy

Egg Nog

Ice

30ml St Agnes Brandy

30ml light rum

90ml milk

15ml sugar syrup

Grated nutmeg

Method

Pudding – Grease 2 x 4-cup or 1 x 8-cup pudding basins.  Mix together the raisins, sultanas, currants, prunes, mixed peel, lemon rind, almonds, carrot, breadcrumbs and sugar.  Sift the flour with the salt, nutmeg and mixed spice, and then add to dry ingredients.  Lightly beat eggs and then add the milk, St Agnes Brandy, stout and melted butter.

Mix well into dry ingredients.  Place the mixture into prepared basins, leaving 1 cm space at the top of the basin.  Cover with greaseproof paper and foil.  Tie securely with string, leaving large loop to lift pudding in and out of boiling water.  Carefully place pudding basin in boiler, making sure water reaches two thirds up sides of basin.  Cover boiler and boil pudding for five hours for large pudding and three hours for small.  As water boils away, replenish with more boiling water.  The pudding can be “fed” over following months with extra brandy to ensure it is moist when eaten.

The day pudding is to be served, boil for a further two hours.

Brandy Butter – Beat butter and sugar to a cream.  Stir in stiffly frothed egg white and 150ml brandy.  To flame pudding, place in fireproof dish and pour over 150ml warmed St Agnes Brandy.  Touch with flame and serve with Brandy Butter Sauce separately.

Brandy Custard – Whisk egg yolks and sugar in a bowl until thick and creamy.  Set aside.  Bring milk and vanilla to boiling point in a small saucepan.  Do Not Boil.  Whisk milk into egg mixture.  Transfer to the top of a double saucepan.  Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a metal spoon.  Stir in St Agnes Brandy.  Serve hot or cold with Christmas Pudding, fresh or stewed fruit, or any other desert of choice. (1 tspn of cornflour added to whisked egg yolks and sugar helps prevent curdling of custard).

Egg Nog – Place ice, St Agnes Brandy, rum, milk and sugar syrup in blender; blend well.  Pour into Irish coffee mug or glass mug.  Sprinkle with nutmeg.