Christmas pudding with oranges

SERVES 8-10

Mum’s making something a little different for our Christmas pudding this year. It’s a less-rich dessert that is covered in beautiful oranges and served with a wonderful warm honey and citrus sauce. Of course, she’ll still slip in some coins just before it’s flambéed at the table.

200g cold butter, grated

90g flour

90g fresh white breadcrumbs

450g mixed fruit

90g brown sugar

1 tbsp grated orange rind Grated rind of 1 lemon

2 tbsp orange juice

½ tsp nutmeg

½ tsp cinnamon

2 beaten eggs

300ml milk

2 tbsp brandy

1-2 oranges, sliced into very

thin rounds with the rind on

1 Mix all the ingredients well, except the orange rounds. 2 Grease a 1-litre pudding basin well with butter and line with the orange rounds. They will stick to the sides. Scrape the pudding mixture into the basin, cover with 2 layers of baking paper and 1 layer of tinfoil, then tie securely. The best tie you can use is a strip of pantyhose (believe me).

3 In a large pot with two or three teaspoons on the bottom, fill with enough water to come two-thirds up the sides of the basin.

Boil for 5 hours, making sure you top up the pot with more boiling water when needed.

4 Cool and store in the fridge until Christmas Day. Reheat by repeating Step 3 but cooking for just 1½ hours, by which time it ought to be heated through.

5 Serve with warm honey and citrus sauce (see opposite page), whipped cream and brandy butter.