Economy Christmas Pudding with Optional Home Made Mincemeat

This recipe can serve up to six people.

Ingredients:

• 50 g/2 oz fresh wholemeal or white breadcrumbs
• 1 egg, beaten
• 50 g/2 oz self-raising white or wholewheat flour
• 1 level teaspoon of mixed spice
• 225 g/8 oz mincemeat (see recipe below if not using store-bought mincemeat)
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 level tablespoon dark treacle

Directions:

1. Add breadcrumbs to beaten egg in a bowl.
2. Sieve the flour and the spice into the bowl.
3. Add the mincemeat, milk and treacle and mix well.
4. Spoon this mixture into a greased 600 ml/1 pint basin.
5. Cover with greased greaseproof paper and a layer of foil. Tuck in the edges around the rim of the basin and, if necessary, tie with string.
6. Place the basin on a trivet or an upturned saucer in a pan with boiling water half way up the basin. (Alternatively, for a lighter pudding you could use a steamer. If you have a pressure cooker you could use this, following the instructions given in the handbook).
7. Steam the pudding for four hours, keeping it on the boil and topping up the water as necessary.
8. Carefully remove the pudding from the saucepan, remove the foil and paper and turn out onto a serving plate.

The pudding can be eaten on the day it is cooked or it can be kept for a week or two. If it is to be eaten at a later date, remove the foil and greaseproof paper and allow to cool. Then wrap in fresh greaseproof paper and foil and store in a cool place. Steam it for another hour on the day it is to be consumed.

This recipe makes around 900 g/2 lb mincemeat.

Mincemeat has a tendency to ferment, so if you are not going to use it immediately it is best to pot it in a large jar and keep it in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

• 225 g/8 oz seedless raisins
• 125 g/4 oz sultanas
• 125 g/4 oz peeled eating apples
• 125 g/4 oz mixed peel
• 50 g/2 oz grated suet
• 225 g/8 oz currants
• Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
• 125 g/4 oz soft brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon golden syrup
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons brandy or whiskey

Directions:

1. Leaving the currents whole, mince the raisins, sultanas, apple, peel and suet using a mincer with coarse plates or an electric food chopper on the appropriate setting.
2. Mix all the ingredients together.

Can be used immediately in the above Christmas pudding recipe. Alternatively, pot in a large, sterile jar if possible or, alternatively, smaller sterile jars. Do not fill to the top. Place waxed paper discs on top and cover with sterile lids or jam-pot covers. Label and store in the refrigerator.

Any mincemeat left over from the Christmas pudding recipe could be used to make a few mince pies.