(Serves 12 persons)

Ingredients:

1.2 kg mixed dried fruits

240 g ready-soaked prunes, chopped

240 g bread crumps

2 large apples, peeled, chopped and grated

60 g blanched almonds, chopped

1 tsp mixed spice

Zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon and 1 orange

240 g soft, brown sugar

120g glacé cherries

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

120 g ground almonds

120 g plain flour

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground nutmeg

240 g vegetable suet

1 tsp salt

220 ml Stout

50 ml Brandy

3 eggs, beaten

Butter, for greasing

Served with:

Custard, cream, brandy butter or ice cream

Preparation:

Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl, stir well to combine, cover the bowl and leave to stand overnight.

The following day grease two 1.1-liter pudding basins or one 2.3-liter basin. Pour the mixture into the greased basin(s). Cover securely with a lid or foil and steam the smaller pudding for 6 hours or the larger one for 10 hours.

Before you serve the pudding, shed it with burning alcohol.

Tip: You can cook the pudding in advance and simply reheat it when needed. Therefore you steam the smaller basin again for about an hour and the bigger one for two hours.

This recipe comes to us courtesy of Jill Coombe from the " Three Ways House Hotel" in Cotsworlds, Britain.