Boiled Christmas Pudding

• 250g Raisins
• 5 Large eggs
• 250g Sultanas
• 1 ¼ cups Plain flour
• 185g Currants
• ½ teas Nutmeg
• 185g Mixed peel
• ½ teas Mixed spice
• 1 teas Grated lemon rind
• 250g Day old white breadcrumbs, loosely packed (5 ½ cups)
• 2 tab Lemon juice
• 2 tab Brandy
• 250g Butter
• 2 cups Brown sugar, firmly packed
• * Glace' ginger
• * Glace' cherries

• Chop raisins, combine in large basin with sultanas, currants, peel, lemon rind, lemon juice and brandy, mix well.
• Cover, stand overnight.
• Beat butter and sugar in electric mixer until combined. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add creamed mixture to fruit mixture.
• Add sifted dry ingredients and breadcrumbs to mixture. Mix well.

• Boil 6 hours. Dip prepared pudding cloth into boiling water. Remove from water and ring.
• Spread hot cloth out on bench, quickly rub in plain flour (about ⅓ cup) to cover large area for batter. Spread to moderate thickness, as this creates the skin on the fruit cake.
• Place floured cloth in colander, place mixture in centre. Gather ends of cloth together, hold pudding up, pat into shape.
• Tie pudding securely with string as close to pudding mixture as possible. Any air gap between mixture and knot will allow water seepage and ruin the cake. Including a loop will make retrieval easier later.
• Place tied mixture into boiling water.
• Boil rapidly for 6 hours.
• Replenish water as necessary.
• There must be enough water for the pudding to move freely.
• Pudding must float at all times or it will burn.

• Lift pudding from water, carefully. Do not put pudding down it will fall to bits.
• Have plate and scissors ready. Place hot pudding in colander, cut string, gently ease cloth away from top. Place plate on top of pudding, invert carefully. Gently remove remainder of cloth. Allow to dry for a few hours. Wrap in plastic wrap or greaseproof paper and freeze until ready to use.

• Buy half a meter of unbleached calico cloth, cut into a square. Boil cloth for 20 minutes before use.

• Fruits can be substituted weight for weight with alternatives. Glace' cherries make excellent additions.
• Best frozen before required, unless it is going to be eaten in a few weeks.
• Prior to serving pour ¼ cup Grand Marnier over pudding on plate and set alight.
• Best served with Rum Sauce.
• Can be eaten hot or cold.
• Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days, it's best stored in the fridge if it's not all going to be eaten after a few days.

—Sandra Boyle —Taken to Sunset, boiled on stove in cloth. Can be frozen until it is needed./